Hey fellow adventurers! I hope I can cover Saudi Arabia’s history justly! If you feel anything needs expanding upon, please feel free to tell me in the comment section below! And as always, I highly encourage you to look deeper into anything in this post that interests you. And for those of you living in the United States, Happy Labor Day! I hope you’re enjoying your extended weekend!
For much of the history of the Arabian Peninsula, tribal rulers controlled most of the territory. In 570 CE, the prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca. In 622 CE, he moved to Medina and began to unite the tribes of Arabia under the banner of Islam. To this day, Mecca and Medina remain the most spiritually important places in the Muslim world.
In the 19th century CE, the Al Saud family fought nomadic tribes for territory within the Arabian Peninsula, especially the Rashidi family. In 1902, Abd-al-Aziz Bin-Abd-al-Rahman Bin-Faysal Bin-Turki Bin-Abdallah Bin-Muhammad Al Saud (often known as Ibn Saud) took control of Riyadh and gave the Saudi family the upper hand. In 1912, the Ikhwan (Brotherhood) was founded based on Wahhabism and promised to help Ibn Saud conquer the Arabian Peninsula. With the help of the Ikhwan, the Saud family started gaining more and more territory, until they finally took the holy cities, Mecca and Medina in 1925. In 1928, the Ikhwan turned against the Saudi family after the family welcomed non-Muslims into the territory and tried to modernize the region, and were defeated in 1930. In 1932, all the territories are united into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with Ibn Saud crowned King.
Eureka! In 1938, oil is discovered and production begins under the US-controlled Aramco (the Arabian American Oil Company). In 1960, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Kuwait, Iraq and Iran founded the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) whose mission is to “coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of its member countries and ensure the stabilization of oil markets, in order to secure an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers, a steady income to producers, and a fair return on capital for those investing in the petroleum industry.” In 1972, Saudi Arabia gains 20% of Aramco, and in 1980 they take full control of Aramco so the US can’t control the oil in Saudi Arabia. In 1973, Saudi Arabia boycotts the western countries that supported Israel in the October war, quadrupling gas prices.
In 1981, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates founded the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) with the intention to strengthen relations amongst participating countries and promote cooperation amongst the countries’ citizens. In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait which Saudi Arabia quickly condemned and requested the assistance of the United States to defeat Iraq. The United States responded by stationing troops in Saudi Arabia so they could push Iraqi forces out of Kuwait. However, removing the presence of American troops once the war ended became one of the main goals of Al-Qaeda (a terrorist group consisting of mostly Saudi citizens).
In the 1990’s, Al-Qaeda increases the number of terrorist incidents against western targets. All this eventually escalates and leads to the attacks of September 11th, 2001 in which 15 out of the 19 terrorists were Saudi nationalists (I’ll cover this subject in greater depth later). In which King Fahd’s response is to state that they need to work on the eradication of terrorism. In 2003, the United States pulls almost all their troops out of Saudi Arabia. King Fahd gives the Consultative Council (a legislative body that represents individual districts) more power, allowing them to propose legislation without his permission.
Once again, there’s an increase in Al-Qaeda related terrorist attacks as Saudi Arabia fights back against extremism. In 2007, the religious police are banned from detaining subjects. Starting in 2009, major reforms started to take place including the first woman minister, the sacking of the head of the religious police and the act of modernizing the government. The Arab Spring (protests due to deep seated resentment of the aging Arab ruler class, unemployment and corruption within the government) came to Saudi Arabia in 2011. This helped lead to an increase in women protests (protesting not only about that but also against things like the ban that states women aren’t allowed to drive). These protests weren’t effective in bringing about change. In response King Fahd announces an increase in welfare spending, his intent on creating more jobs and the intention to grant more rights to women. In 2012, women were allowed to compete in the Olympics, and in 2013 women are added to the Consultative Council for the first time.
In 2013, Saudi Arabia rejects an offer for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council because King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud believed that the UN was not doing enough to help Syria. Meanwhile, they continue to tighten laws against terrorists, labelling Islamic groups as terrorist organizations and banning any funding and/or support for those organizations listed; as well as participating with other Arab states in airstrikes against Islamic state militants. The government approves for far reaching reforms to diversify the economy away from oil. This year, Saudi Arabia sparks a diplomatic crisis by leading an air, land and sea blockade by Arab countries, to get Qatar to cut its alleged connections with terrorism and distance itself from Iran.
The past and present kings of Saudi Arabia:
- Ibn Saud (1932-1952): he fought for the territory that is now Saudi Arabia, ruled as king for 21 years and started a large-scale oil production that made his family rich.
- Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (1953-1964): a lot of people gave him a hard time because when the Saud debt began piling up, rather than cut back on his lavish lifestyle, he cut government programs instead and was eventually forced by his family to abdicate the throne.
- Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (1964-1975): he was known for rescuing the country’s finances and implementing a policy of modernization and reform before being assassinated by his nephew Faisal bin Musaid in 1975.
- Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (1975-1982): he showed an interest in improving the education, health-care and infrastructure of the country but failed to monopolize the power during his reign and was unsuccessful.
- Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (1982-2005): he was a supporter of the United Nations and spent a lot of money on improving religious education for his country.
- Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (2005-2015): he maintained strong relations with other countries, gave women the right to vote for municipal councils and to compete in the Olympics, and maintained the status quo during the Arab Spring.
- Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (2015-?): he is the current king of Saudi Arabia and has so far ordered the bombing of Yemen and has lost support after the Mina Stampede in 2015 when over 2,400 people died during their Hajj pilgrimage.
If you prefer videos, please feel free to check out this short animation:
That wraps us this history portion. Thank you all for reading my blog! Until our next adventure! 😊
This article is actually a good one it assists new the web visitors, who are wishing in favor of blogging.
Great post. I was checking continuously this blog and I am impressed!
Very helpful info particularly the last part 🙂 I care for such information much.
I was looking for this particular information for a long time.
Thank you and good luck.
I’ve been browsing online more than 2 hours today, yet I never
found any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me.
In my opinion, if all webmasters and bloggers made good content as you did, the internet will be
a lot more useful than ever before.
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account
it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from
you! By the way, how can we communicate?
I love reading through an article that can make people think.
Also, thanks for permitting me to comment!
I am not sure where you’re getting your info, but good topic.
I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding
more. Thanks for excellent info I was looking for this info for my mission.
When someone writes an paragraph he/she maintains the idea of a user in his/her mind that how a user can know it.
Thus that’s why this paragraph is outstdanding. Thanks!
Hey! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any issues with hackers?
My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing a few months of hard work due to no backup.
Do you have any solutions to protect against hackers?
I blog often and I seriously thank you for your content.
Your article has truly peaked my interest. I am going to bookmark
your website and keep checking for new information about once a week.
I subscribed to your Feed as well.
I’m not that much of a online reader to be honest but your sites really nice,
keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back later on.
Cheers
We’re a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community.
Your web site offered us with valuable info to work on. You’ve done a formidable job and our whole community will be thankful
to you.
Hey there! I know this is somewhat off topic but I
was wondering which blog platform are you using for this website?
I’m getting sick and tired of WordPress because I’ve had issues
with hackers and I’m looking at options for another platform.
I would be fantastic if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get
four emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people from that service?
Many thanks!
You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be really something which I
think I would never understand. It seems too complex and very
broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the hang
of it!
This is very fascinating, You’re an excessively professional blogger.
I have joined your rss feed and sit up for looking for extra of your wonderful
post. Also, I’ve shared your web site in my social networks
If some one wants expert view concerning blogging and site-building then i advise him/her to visit this blog, Keep
up the fastidious job.
I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good.
I do not know who you are but certainly you’re going
to a famous blogger if you are not already 😉 Cheers!
Hey, I think your website might be having browser compatibility issues.
When I look at your blog in Chrome, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping.
I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, terrific blog!
Hello, i think that i saw you visited my site so i came to “return the favorâ€.I’m attempting to find
things to enhance my web site!I suppose its ok to use a few of your
ideas!!
Valuable information. Fortunate me I discovered your site by chance, and I am shocked why this accident did not took place earlier!
I bookmarked it.
You should take part in a contest for one of the highest quality blogs on the internet.
I will recommend this blog!
I every time spent my half an hour to read this website’s
posts every day along with a cup of coffee.
Very great post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to mention that I’ve truly loved surfing around your weblog
posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing on your rss feed and I hope
you write once more very soon!
Hello i am kavin, its my first time to commenting anyplace, when i read this article i thought
i could also create comment due to this good post.
Thanks for the good writeup. It in fact was once a leisure account it.
Look complex to more delivered agreeable from you!
By the way, how could we keep up a correspondence?
I have been exploring for a bit for any high quality articles or weblog
posts in this sort of area . Exploring in Yahoo I ultimately
stumbled upon this website. Studying this information So i am satisfied to
exhibit that I’ve an incredibly excellent uncanny
feeling I found out just what I needed. I such a lot certainly will make sure to don?t fail to remember this
web site and provides it a glance regularly.
I always spent my half an hour to read this blog’s
posts all the time along with a mug of coffee.
Hi! This is my first visit to your blog! We are
a collection of volunteers and starting a new project in a community in the same niche.
Your blog provided us beneficial information to work
on. You have done a wonderful job!
Wow, that’s what I was seeking for, what a information! present here at this
webpage, thanks admin of this web page.
I think the admin of this web page is genuinely working hard for his site, since here every information is quality based stuff.
I was recommended this website by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as
no one else know such detailed about my problem.
You’re amazing! Thanks!
Nice replies in return of this matter with real arguments and describing everything concerning that.
These are actually fantastic ideas in concerning
blogging. You have touched some fastidious factors here.
Any way keep up wrinting.
If you are going for most excellent contents like I do, only go to see this site all the time because it offers feature contents, thanks
Hello there I am so glad I found your blog page,
I really found you by error, while I was browsing on Google
for something else, Regardless I am here now and would just
like to say kudos for a marvelous post and a all round entertaining blog
(I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to look
over it all at the minute but I have saved it and also added in your RSS feeds, so when I have time
I will be back to read a lot more, Please do keep up the excellent b.
Good day very cool web site!! Guy .. Beautiful ..
Superb .. I’ll bookmark your blog and take the feeds additionally?
I am glad to find so many useful information here in the put up, we want develop more
techniques in this regard, thank you for sharing. .
. . . .
Can I simply say what a relief to uncover somebody that genuinely knows what they are
talking about over the internet. You certainly know how to bring an issue to light and make it important.
A lot more people really need to check this out and understand this side of
the story. It’s surprising you are not more popular given that you definitely have the gift.
hi!,I like your writing very so much! share we keep up a correspondence extra about your post on AOL?
I require a specialist on this area to resolve my problem.
Maybe that is you! Looking ahead to see you.
Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is a very well written article.
I’ll make sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful info.
Thanks for the post. I will definitely comeback.
I truly love your website.. Excellent colors & theme. Did you make this website yourself?
Please reply back as I’m hoping to create my
very own website and want to find out where you got this from or exactly what the theme is named.
Thank you!
Thank you for another informative site. The place else may just I am
getting that type of info written in such an ideal way?
I’ve a challenge that I am simply now working on, and I have been on the glance out
for such information.
Great site. Plenty of useful information here. I am sending it to a few pals ans additionally sharing in delicious.
And obviously, thanks to your effort!
Right away I am going to do my breakfast, later than having
my breakfast coming again to read further
news.
Hi! I simply want to offer you a big thumbs up for the great info you have right here on this post.
I’ll be coming back to your blog for more soon.
Do you mind if I quote a few of your posts as long as
I provide credit and sources back to your webpage?
My blog is in the very same niche as yours and my visitors would certainly benefit from a lot of the information you provide here.
Please let me know if this ok with you. Cheers!
Howdy! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be
okay. I’m absolutely enjoying your blog and look forward to new updates.
What’s up, after reading this awesome post i am too delighted to share my familiarity here with friends.
These are truly enormous ideas in on the topic of
blogging. You have touched some nice things here.
Any way keep up wrinting.
I was very pleased to uncover this website.
I wanted to thank you for your time for this particularly fantastic
read!! I definitely loved every little bit of
it and I have you bookmarked to check out new
stuff on your blog.
Good article. I’m going through many of these issues as
well..