Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was one of the sons of the founding King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud. He was born in Riyadh on Thursday, 13 Rajab 1348 AH, corresponding to 5 January 1930 [1].

Over more than six decades he held a succession of senior official posts: the emirate of Riyadh, then the Ministry of Agriculture, then the Ministry of Communications, then the Ministry of Defense and Aviation and the Inspectorate General, which he retained until his death, alongside the second deputy premiership and the position of Crown Prince in 2005 [1][2].

His full name was Sultan bin Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman bin Faisal bin Turki bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Saud bin Muqrin bin Markhan, a son of the founding King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud [1]. He was born in Riyadh on Thursday, 13 Rajab 1348 AH, corresponding to 5 January 1930 [1].

He was appointed Emir of Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom, on 1 Rabi' al-Thani 1366 AH, corresponding to 22 February 1947 [2].

On 18 Rabi' al-Thani 1373 AH, corresponding to 24 December 1953, he was appointed Minister of Agriculture and a member of the Council of Ministers when the first Council of Ministers was formed in the Kingdom [2].

He was then appointed Minister of Communications on 20 Rabi' al-Awwal 1375 AH, corresponding to 5 November 1955, and contributed to the introduction of modern road transport networks and wired and wireless communications [2].

On 3 Jumada al-Thani 1382 AH, corresponding to 21 October 1962, he was appointed Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, a post he retained until his death [2].

A royal order appointed him Second Deputy Prime Minister on 21 Sha'ban 1402 AH, corresponding to 13 June 1982, in addition to his responsibilities at the Ministry of Defense and Aviation and the Inspectorate General [2].

Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz contributed to the development of the armed forces in all their branches, land, air, naval, and air defense, and worked to establish the large military cities spread across all regions of the Kingdom [2].

On 26 Jumada al-Thani 1426 AH, corresponding to 1 August 2005, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz chose him as Crown Prince under Article Five of the Basic Law of Governance, and ordered his appointment as Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister while he continued as Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General [1].

The people of the Kingdom's regions pledged allegiance to Prince Sultan as Crown Prince on 28 Jumada al-Thani 1426 AH, corresponding to 3 August 2005 [6].

Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz chaired a number of councils and bodies, among them the Supreme Commission for Islamic Call, the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, the board of Saudi Arabian Airlines, the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development, the Ministerial Committee for the Environment, the board of the General Organization for Military Industries, the Supreme Committee for Economic Balance, the board of the Global Arabic Encyclopedia, and the Supreme Commission for Tourism [3].

He headed the Kingdom's delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in 1405 AH, corresponding to 1985, where he delivered a speech, and he also headed the Kingdom's delegation at the United Nations celebration of its fiftieth anniversary in October 1995. He funded the Global Arabic Encyclopedia from his own personal wealth [3].

Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz established the Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Charitable Foundation on 20 Sha'ban 1415 AH, corresponding to 1995. It is a non-profit foundation with a legal personality; he chaired its board of trustees, and it was selected as the best humanitarian organization in the Arab and Islamic world [7].

Its projects include the Sultan bin Abdulaziz City for Humanitarian Services, the Sultan Program for Medical and Educational Communications (MediNet), the Sultan bin Abdulaziz Center for Science and Technology, and charitable housing projects [4].

The Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water was announced in 1423 AH. It is awarded every two years and judged by internationally distinguished scientists, and it comprises five branches: a Creativity branch valued at one million riyals and four specialized branches valued at 500,000 riyals each [8].

Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud died in October 2011 [5].

Q: Who is Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud? A: He was one of the sons of the founding King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, born in Riyadh in 1348 AH/1930, and he served as Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General and later as Crown Prince.

Q: When did he take over the Ministry of Defense and Aviation? A: He was appointed Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General on 21 October 1962, and he held the post until his death.

Q: When did he become Crown Prince? A: On 1 August 2005 the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz chose him as Crown Prince, and the people of the Kingdom's regions pledged allegiance to him on 3 August 2005.

Q: What charitable foundation did he establish? A: The Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Charitable Foundation in 1995; its projects include the Sultan bin Abdulaziz City for Humanitarian Services and the Sultan bin Abdulaziz Center for Science and Technology.

Q: When did Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz die? A: He died in October 2011.

Related topics on the platform include King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Riyadh, and the unification of Saudi Arabia [1][2].