in full 02BD; Abd al- 02BD; Az 012B; z ibn 02BD; Abd al-Ra 1E25; m 0101; n ibn Fay 1E63; al 0100; l Sa 02BD; 016B; d
born 0441; 1880, Riyadh, Arabian Peninsula
died Nov. 9, 1953, Al- 1E6C; 0101; 02BE; if, Saud.Ar.
Founder of modern-day Saudi Arabia.
Though the Sa 016B; d dynasty had ruled much of Arabia from 1780 to 1880, in Ibn Sa 02BD; 016B; d's infancy the family was forced out by its rivals, the Rash 012B; ds. At age 21 Ibn Sa 02BD; 016B; d led a daring raid against the Rash 012B; ds and recaptured the family capital, Riyadh . He was driven out two years later but reconstituted his forces and fought on, using puritanical Wahh 0101; b 012B; Islam to rally nomadic tribesmen to his cause, thereby forming the Ikhw 0101; n . In 192022 he defeated the Rash 012B; ds and doubled his own territory. In 1924 he conquered the Hejaz (see Husayn ibn Al 012B; ). In 1932 he formally created the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , which he ruled as an absolute monarch. He signed his first oil deal in 1933 but remained virtually penniless until the 1950s, when oil revenues began pouring in. His sons succeeded him.
Ibn Sa 02BD; 016B; d
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