Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud 14 April 1906 – 25 March 1975 was King of Saudi Arabia from 1964 to 1975. As king, he is credited with rescuing the country's finances and implementing a policy of modernization and reform. His main foreign policy themes were pan-Islamism, anti-Communism, and pro-Palestinian nationalism. He successfully stabilized the kingdom's bureaucracy, and his reign had significant popularity among Saudis. In 1975 he was assassinated by his nephew Faisal bin Musaid.

Early life

Faisal bin Abdulaziz was born in Riyadh on 14 April 1906. He is the third son of Saudi Arabia's former king, King Abdulaziz. His mother was Tarfa bint Abdullah bin Abdullatif Al Sheikh, whom Abdulaziz had married in 1902 after capturing Riyadh. She was from the family of the Al ash-Sheikh, descendants of Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab. Faisal's maternal grandfather, Abdullah bin Abdullatif, was one of Abdulaziz's principal religious teachers and advisers. Faisal's mother died in 1912 when he was quite young, and he was raised by his maternal grandfather, who taught him the Quran and the principles of Islam, an education that left an impact on him for the remainder of his life. Faisal had only one full sister, Nurah. She was married to her cousin, Khalid bin Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman, son of Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman. Faisal, like most of his generation, was raised in an atmosphere in which courage was extremely valued and reinforced. He was motivated by his mother to develop the values of tribal leadership. In 1919 the British government invited King Abdulaziz to visit London. He could not go, but sent 14-year-old Prince Faisal, making him the first ever Saudi royal to visit England. His visit lasted for five months, and he met with the British officials. During the same period, he also visited France, again being the first Saudi royal to pay an official visit there.