Abdullah of Saudi Arabia

Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (1 August 1924 – 23 January 2015) was King and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia from 1 August 2005 until his death. He was the tenth son of King Abdulaziz, the kingdom’s founder. His mother, Fahda bint Asi Al Shuraim, came from the Al Rashid dynasty, a family that had long rivaled the Al Sauds. Abdullah held important posts for most of his adult life: he became mayor of Mecca in 1961, commander of the Saudi Arabian National Guard in 1963 (a role he kept even after becoming king), and later deputy defense minister. He was named crown prince in 1982 when his half-brother Fahd became king. After Fahd suffered a serious stroke in 1995, Abdullah acted as the country’s de facto ruler until he formally took the throne in 2005.

As king, Abdullah kept close ties with the United States and the United Kingdom, buying billions of dollars in defense equipment from both. During the Arab Spring protests, he maintained the existing order. He also held four of his daughters—children from his marriage to Al Anoud Al Fayez, whom he wed when she was 15—captive against their will. The three crown princes under Abdullah were all full brothers of King Fahd. He first appointed his half-brother Sultan, who died in 2011; then Sultan’s full brother Nayef, who died the next year; and finally Salman bin Abdulaziz. Abdullah is reported to have married up to 30 times and fathered more than 35 children. He was among the world’s wealthiest royals. When he died at age 90 in 2015, his half-brother Salman succeeded him.

Abdullah is believed to have been born on 1 August 1924 in Riyadh, though some sources suggest he was about eight years older. His mother died when he was six. He had two full sisters, Nouf and Seeta, and two maternal half-brothers, Abdulaziz and Mishaal, from his mother’s first marriage to Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Rashid. Scholar Madawi Al-Rasheed has argued that Abdullah’s maternal background and an early speech impediment slowed his rise among the sons of King Abdulaziz.

In August 1963, Abdullah became commander of the Saudi National Guard, replacing Saad bin Saud. This post helped him secure his position within the House of Saud. Under his leadership, the guard—originally based on the Ikhwan—was modernized. From 1985, the guard also sponsored the Janadiriyah festival, which promoted traditional folk dances, camel races, and tribal heritage.

King Khalid appointed Abdullah second deputy prime minister on 29 March 1975, just four days after taking the throne, signaling his status as second in line. This caused friction in the royal family. Crown Prince Fahd and his full brothers, the Sudairi Seven, wanted their own full brother Sultan in that role. Abdullah was pressured to give up control of the National Guard in exchange for the appointment, but he refused, fearing it would weaken his authority. In August 1977, this dispute sparked debate among hundreds of princes in Riyadh. In March 1979, while Crown Prince Fahd was away in Europe, Abdullah presided over the council of ministers and took a more active diplomatic role. He was also part of the inner family council led by King Khalid, which included several half-brothers and uncles.

When King Khalid died on 13 June 1982, Fahd became king, and Abdullah was named crown prince the same day, keeping his National Guard post. As crown prince, he was seen as a supporter of accommodation and gathered a group of marginalized princes unhappy with the prospect of the succession passing solely among the Sudairi brothers. His control of the National Guard was key to his becoming crown prince. After King Fahd’s stroke in 1995, Abdullah acted as de facto regent. In June 2000, he established the Al Saud Family Council to discuss private matters, including business activities and marriages of princesses to non-royals. In May 2001, he declined an invitation to visit Washington because of U.S. support for Israel during the Second Intifada. He also appeared more eager than King Fahd to cut government spending and open the economy, pushing for Saudi membership in the World Trade Organization. In August 2001, he ordered Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. Bandar bin Sultan to return to Washington from Aspen to deliver a message.