Word: saud
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...ruling family dates back to the 18th century, when the head of the tiny emirate of Dariyah (near Riyadh), Mohammed ibn Saud, formed an alliance with Mohammed ibn Abdul Wahhab, the fiery leader of a puritanical Islamic movement; his Wahhabi sect still holds sway in Saudi Arabia. This combination of tribal military skill and religious fanaticism did dominate central Arabia for 75 years, until it was crushed by an invading Egyptian army acting at the behest of the Ottoman rulers in Constantinople...
...House of Saud had a powerful revival at the beginning of the 20th century, when its leader was the great Abdul Aziz, generally known as Ibn Saud. With the support of the Wahhabis, he reconquered Riyadh and began to establish the modern kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Abdul Aziz died in 1953, at about age 73, and has been succeeded by his sons Saud (1953-64), Faisal (1964-75) and the present King Khalid...
...Saudi Arabia is underpopulated today, it is not the fault of Abdul Aziz and his descendants. The old lion begat 44 sons and an unknown number of daughters; Saud had 52 sons and 54 daughters. All told, it is estimated that at least 2,000 Saudi princes, including sons, grandsons and great-grandsons, are descended from Abdul Aziz...
...modern House of Saud comprises the descendants of Abdul Aziz and his five brothers. Supreme power is held by the "Inner Six," a council made up of the heads of the family's six principal branches. Oddly enough, neither King Khalid nor Crown Prince Fahd is a member of the Inner Six; their branch of the family, that of Abdul Aziz, is represented by an older brother, Mohammed, who long ago renounced his claim to the throne...
Family solidarity is all important. Once a council of the House of Saud has made a decision, no prince, however influential, dares challenge it. The power of the Inner Six was proved in the late '50s, when Faisal, then Crown Prince, tried to become King on the ground that his profligate brother Saud was bankrupting the country. The council said no, and Faisal obeyed. By 1964 both Saud and the country's finances had deteriorated to the point where the Inner Six was forced to take action. The King was deposed and died in exile in Athens...