Upbringing and early experience
Saud was born in Kuwait in 1902 to King Abdulaziz and Wadha bint Mohammed Al Urayir. His family moved to Riyadh after its recovery. He studied the Quran and religious subjects and attended the gatherings of his father and grandfather, Imam Abdulrahman. As a young man he participated in political and military missions during the establishment of the state, preparing him for wider administrative responsibilities before and after the Kingdom’s proclamation. [1][2]
Crown prince and accession
Saud became crown prince in 1933, a year after the Kingdom’s proclamation, and undertook domestic responsibilities and foreign visits on his father’s behalf. In October 1953 he was appointed president of the newly established Council of Ministers during Abdulaziz’s final months. He succeeded his father that November, with Faisal becoming crown prince. The council’s establishment under Abdulaziz should therefore be distinguished from the expansion of its work under Saud. [1][2]
Education and institution building
The Ministry of Education was established in 1953 under Prince Fahd bin Abdulaziz, expanding the administration of formal schooling. Major milestones included King Saud University in 1957 and the Islamic University in Medina in 1961. Expansion also encompassed girls’ education and administrative training. These institutions responded to demand for teachers, officials and specialists and formed part of the broader growth of government and public services. [1][2]
Public services and foreign relations
Projects in roads, water and healthcare, along with expansions of the Two Holy Mosques, accompanied growing oil revenues. Saudi Arabia remained involved in Arab affairs and relations with the United States, including Saud’s visit to Washington in 1957. At the same time, the government faced financial pressures and disagreements over expenditure and the division of authority between the king and crown prince. These difficulties are part of the period’s history alongside its development projects. [1][2]
Transfer of power and later years
At the end of King Saud bin Abdulaziz’s reign, the royal family decided to transfer the reins of government to Crown Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz in November 1964. King Saud therefore relinquished the throne, and Prince Faisal assumed the position of King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. King Saud spent his final years outside the Kingdom, passing away in Athens in 1969. His body was subsequently returned to Saudi Arabia, where he was buried in Riyadh.
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