King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud

ModernEmperorSaudi Arabia1875 — 1953

Founder of modern Saudi Arabia.

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Quick Facts

Born

1875

Died

1953

Country

Saudi Arabia

Era

Modern

Occupation

Emperor

Score Overview

Military (10%)85

Political (20%)82

Influence (20%)65

Legacy (20%)65

Leadership (15%)75

Strategy (15%)68

Total Score71.4

King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud — Complete Timeline

1902 AD

Capture of RiyadhWar

Ibn Saud led a small force of 40 men to recapture Riyadh from the rival Al Rashid clan. The daring night raid restored the Saud family's control over their ancestral capital and marked the beginning of the unification of Arabia.

Military CampaignUnificationSaudi Arabia

Impact: regional

1932 AD

Unification of Saudi ArabiaPolitical Action

Ibn Saud proclaimed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unifying the regions of Najd, Hejaz, Asir, and Al-Ahsa under his rule. The new kingdom was established as an absolute monarchy with Islamic law as its foundation.

UnificationStatehoodSaudi Arabia

Impact: regionalconstructive

1938 AD

Discovery of oil in Saudi ArabiaInvention

Oil was discovered in commercial quantities in Dhahran by the American company Standard Oil of California (SOCAL). Ibn Saud granted a concession that led to the creation of Aramco, transforming Saudi Arabia's economy and global standing.

OilEconomyAramco

Impact: globalconstructive

1945 AD

Meeting with Franklin D. RooseveltPolitical Action◆ Major

Ibn Saud met with US President Franklin D. Roosevelt aboard the USS Quincy in the Suez Canal. The meeting established the US-Saudi alliance, with the US guaranteeing Saudi security in exchange for oil access, a relationship that lasted for decades.

DiplomacyUS-Saudi RelationsOil

Impact: globalconstructive