Abdul Rahman bin Faisal Al Saud (1850–1928)

Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Family name hatnote Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox royalty Abdul Rahman bin Faisal Al Saud (Template:Langx ʿAbd ar Raḥman bin Fayṣal Āl Saʿūd; 1850 – June 1928) was the last emir of Nejd, reigning from 1875 to 1876 and from 1889 to 1891. He was the youngest son of Emir Faisal bin Turki bin Abdullah and the father of Abdulaziz, the founder of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Early life

Abdul Rahman was born in 1850.<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He was the fourth and youngest son of Faisal bin Turki bin Abdullah.<ref name=gss25/> He had three elder brothers: Abdullah, Saud and Mohammed.<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref><ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref> Saud was his full brother, and their mother was from the Ajman tribe.<ref name=gss25>Template:Cite thesis</ref> One of his sisters was Al Jawhara (died around 1930), who accompanied Abdul Rahman and his family in exile to Kuwait.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Royal civil war

After their father died in 1865, a struggle for power arose between Abdul Rahman's brothers Saud and Abdullah.<ref name=KAIS>Template:Cite web</ref> Abdul Rahman and his brother Muhammad tended to align themselves with Saud. In 1871, after Saud had taken the capital Riyadh, Abdul Rahman was sent to Baghdad to negotiate with the Ottoman Empire for help. Unsuccessful after two years, he tried to take Al Hasa in the east where Abdullah was now based, but this also failed, and Abdul Rahman eventually returned to Riyadh. After Saud's death in 1875, Abdul Rahman was recognized as successor, but within a year Riyadh was taken by Abdullah<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and he was forced to abdicate.

In 1887 the sons of Saud bin Faisal, who kept up desultory hostilities against their uncles, managed to capture Abdullah. The Emir of Jabal Shammar, Muhammad bin Abdullah Al Rashid, was able to secure Abdullah's release in exchange for Abdul Rahman. Abdullah was taken to Ha'il and a Rashidi emir appointed him to govern Riyadh. Abdul Rahman was able to rise in revolt in 1887 and take and defend Riyadh, but his attempts to expand control ended in disaster. When he became the undisputed leader of the House of Saud in 1889, he attacked and regained Riyadh.<ref name=KAIS/> However, Emir Muhammad's forces defeated the Saudis in the Battle of Mulayda, and Abdul Rahman and his family were forced to flee.<ref name=KAIS/>

Later years

Abdul Rahman's son Abdulaziz was the founder and first ruler of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In 1891 the family fled to the desert of the Rub al-Khali to the southeast among the Al Murrah.<ref name=KAIS/><ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref> Abdul Rahman recognised that they could not live by depending on the support from the tribes.<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref> Then, he and his family found refuge first with the Al Khalifa family in Bahrain and finally with the Al Sabah family in Kuwait.<ref name=aramco/> They were given permission by the Ottoman State to settle in Kuwait.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> While in Kuwait, Abdul Rahman was given a regular stipend by the Ottomans.<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He tried to make Wahhabist Islam widespread there and recreate the Saudi dynasty.<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref> Mubarak Al Sabah, a member of the Kuwaiti royal family and future ruler of Kuwait from 1896, developed a rapport with one of Abdul Rahman's sons, Abdulaziz, who frequently visited Mubarak's majlis.<ref name=jacg/> However, Abdul Rahman did not visit the majlis and did not endorse Abdulaziz's closeness with Mubarak due to the latter's interest in fine silk clothes, smoking, and women.<ref name=jacg/>

After defeat at the battle of Sarif in February 1900, Abdul Rahman gave up all ambitions to recover his patrimony.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref> In the battle he was actively supported by Mubarak Al Sabah.<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref> In December 1901 Abdul Rahman met with the Russian officials when the Russian Varyag cruiser visited Kuwait.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Following the capture of Riyadh in January 1902 by his son Abdulaziz, in May Abdul Rahman sent a message to Lieutenant Colonel C. A. Kemball who was the British political resident in the Persian Gulf at Bushire asking the British Government to make a treaty with his son, but his proposal was not taken into consideration by the British due to their tendency to remain neutral in central Arabian affairs as well as due to their uncertainty about Abdulaziz's potential to consolidate his power in the region.<ref name=fman/><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Abdul Rahman left Kuwait on 11 May and came to Riyadh<ref name=aramco>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=fman/> where he was welcomed by Abdulaziz and a group of ulema.<ref name=fman>Template:Cite thesis</ref> Abdulaziz asked the group to declare their loyalty to his father, but Abdul Rahman did not accept the offer stating that they should take an oath of loyalty to Abdulaziz.<ref name=fman/> Then Abdul Rahman presented Abdulaziz a sword that had belonged to Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab.<ref name=bro>Template:Cite book</ref>

Abdul Rahman's attempts to secure the British protection were not productive.<ref name=alakhbar>Template:Cite news</ref> At the beginning of 1905 he wanted to visit Kuwait to meet with Captain S.G. Knox, the first British political representative there,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but it was not permitted by the British.<ref name=alakhbar/>

Abdul Rahman was styled Imam and considered the spiritual leader of the country, while Abdulaziz held secular and military authority. Abdulaziz succeeded Abdul Rahman as Imam in 1928 when the latter died.<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref> The latter acted as the ceremonial leader of the newly built state.<ref name=bro/> However, during the formation years he was also acting ruler when Abdulaziz was out of Riyadh and helped him to organize the forces.<ref name=durh>Template:Cite thesis</ref> In 1905 he represented Abdulaziz in the negotiations with the Ottomans following the capture of Qasim.<ref name=durh/> Another significant meeting headed by Abdul Rahman was an assembly of Najdi tribal and religious leaders in Riyadh on 4 July 1924.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Personal life and death

Abdul Rahman had ten sons with different wives:<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Faisal (1870–1890), Abdulaziz, Mohammed, Saad I, Saud (1890–1965), Abdullah, Musaid, Ahmed, Saad II (1924–1955) and Abdul Mohsen.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Abdulaziz was his fourth child.<ref name=jacg>Template:Cite book</ref> Ahmed was a member of the family council during the reign of King Khalid.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Abdul Rahman's most famous daughter, Noura bint Abdul Rahman, was an important adviser to her brother King Abdulaziz.<ref name=s24>Template:Cite news</ref> At least two of Abdul Rahman's daughters, Noura and Mounira, married the grandsons of their paternal uncle, Saud bin Faisal.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

One of Abdul Rahman's spouses was Sara bint Ahmed bin Muhammad Al Sudairi<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> who was the mother of Faisal, Noura, Abdulaziz, Bazza, Haya and Saad I.<ref name=s24/> She died in 1910.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Another of his spouses was Sara bint Jiluwi, daughter of his uncle Jiluwi bin Turki and the mother of Mohammed.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Another spouse was Amsha bint Faraj Al Ajran Al Khalidi, the mother of Musaid.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Abdul Rahman died in June 1928<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref> and was buried in Riyadh.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

External links

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