House of Saud

From Freepedia

The House of Saud is the royal family of Saudi Arabia. While the modern nation of Saudi Arabia was established in 1932, the House of Saud has been around for much longer. Prior to Ibn Saud, this family ruled the Nejd and often came into conflict with the Ottoman Empire and the Rashidis. The House of Saud is also linked with Wahhabism through the marriage of the son of Muhammad ibn Saud with the daughter of Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab in 1744.

The history of the House of Saud has been marked by a desire to unify the Arabian Peninsula and to spread what it claims to be a "more pure and simple" but also controversial view of Islam embodied by Wahhabism. As such, the House of Saud has gone through three phases: the First Saudi State, the Second Saudi State, and the modern nation of Saudi Arabia.

"The royal family today is made up of an estimated 25,000 members, of whom around 200 are princes wielding influence." [1]

1 Political Role
2 Branches
3 Heads of the House of Saud
4 Most notable current members
5 Also see
6 External links

Political Role

The Head of the House of Saud is the King of Saudi Arabia who serves as Head of State and monarch of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The King holds great political power, and is often likened to an absolute monarch.

Unlike Western royal families, the Saudi Monarchy does not have a clearly defined order of succession. Upon becoming King, the monarch designates an heir apparent to the throne who serves as Crown Prince of the Kingdom. Upon the King's death the Crown Prince becomes King, and during the King's incapacitation the Crown Prince likewise assumes power as regent. Though other members of the House of Saud hold political positions in the Saudi government, technically it is only the King and Crown Prince who legally constitute the political institution of the Saudi monarchy.

Branches

Saudi royality is split into several camps, depending on lineage.

Sons of Abdul Aziz (ibn Saud, the founder of the modern Saudi state) are from the Abdul Aziz line of the family, and have been the only members allowed to serve as King or Crown Prince. As this generation will not last forever, King Fahd decreed that their sons -- the grandsons of ibn Saud -- would also be eligible, to provide new heirs to the throne. Members of this line are referred to with the style "His Royal Majesty" or "His Royal Highness."

All other members of the House of Saud are referred to as members of the Cadet line. Members of this line are referred to with the style "His Highness."