Saudi Royal Family
| House of Saud | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| Titles | |
| Founded | 1744 by Muhammad bin Saud |
| Current head | Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud |
The House of Saud (Arabic: آل سعود Āl Saʻūd IPA: [ʔæːl saʕuːd]) is the ruling royal family of Saudi Arabia. The family has thousands of members. It is composed of the descendants of Muhammad bin Saud, founder of the Emirate of Diriyah, known as the First Saudi state (1818–91), and his brothers, though the ruling faction of the family is primarily led by the descendants of Ibn Saud, the modern founder of Saudi Arabia.
The most influential member of the Royal family is the King of Saudi Arabia, currently King Salman. The succession to the Saudi Arabian throne was designed to pass from one son of the first king, Ibn Saud, to another. The next in line, Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef is also from the ruling House of Saud, and the king-appointed cabinet includes more members of the royal family. While the monarchy is hereditary now, future Saudi kings will be chosen by a committee of Saudi princes, in line with a 2006 royal decree.
The family is estimated to comprise 15,000 members, but the majority of the power and wealth is possessed by a group of only about 2,000.
The House of Saud has gone through three phases: the Emirate of Diriyah, the First Saudi State (1744–1818), marked by the expansion of Wahhabism; the Emirate of Nejd, the Second Saudi State (1824-1891), marked with continuous infighting; and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (1932–present), which wields considerable influence in the Middle East. The family has had conflicts with the Ottoman Empire, the Sharif of Mecca, the Al Rashid family of Ha'il and their vassal houses in Najd, and numerous Islamist groups both inside and outside Saudi Arabia.
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