Saud of Saudi Arabia

Saud of Saudi Arabia (born January 15, 1902, Kuwait—died February 23, 1969, Athens, Greece) was the son of Ibn Saud and his successor as king of Saudi Arabia from 1953 to 1964.

Saud’s reign (1953–64)

After Ibn Saud conquered (1925) the Hejaz, a district in the Arabian Peninsula, he made his two eldest sons, Saud and Faisal, his deputies in Najd and Hejaz, respectively. Saud’s primary responsibility was for the Bedouins. In 1933 he was named crown prince, and he and Faisal led a successful campaign against Yemen in the following year. When Ibn Saud established a council of ministers in 1953, Saud became its president, and in November of that year he became king with the support of his brothers.

He continued his father’s program of modernization, with special emphasis on increased medical and educational facilities. Domestic affairs, however, were overshadowed by a crisis in the administration of the central government; in the early 1950s the first large-scale petroleum royalties began to be received, and financial and administrative affairs became too complex to be conducted simply on the personal authority of the king. Saud had neither the ability nor the inclination to cope with these problems, and he so mismanaged the financial affairs of the state that he was forced to reconstitute the council of ministers and give full executive powers to Faisal as its president. Saud did not regain executive authority until 1960.

Britannica Quiz

Kings and Emperors (Part III) Quiz

Handing over power to Faisal

In 1963 Saud was forced to spend a considerable amount of time abroad for medical treatment, and in his absence domestic opposition intensified against him. The dissident elements supported Faisal, and in March 1964 all powers were transferred to him as viceroy of the kingdom. In November of that year Saud was formally deposed, and Faisal became the new king of Saudi Arabia.