Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud born 31 December 1935 is King of Saudi Arabia, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and head of the House of Saud.[1] He served as the Deputy Governor and then the Governor of Riyadh for 48 years from 1963 to 2011. He was then appointed as Minister of Defence. He was also named the Crown Prince in 2012 following the death of his brother Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Salman was crowned as the new King of Saudi Arabia on 23 January 2015 following the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah. Among the most notable events during his reign so far have been Saudi Arabia's military intervention in the Yemeni Civil War, the 2015 Mina stampede during the Hajj, and the execution of Nimr al-Nimr and 46 other opponents of the regime on 2 January 2016.
Early life
Salman was born on 31 December 1935, and is reported to be the 25th son of Ibn Saud.[2] Salman and his six brothers make up what is referred to as the Sudairi Seven.[3][4] He was raised in the Murabba Palace.[5] Salman received his early education at the Princes' School in the capital city of Riyadh, a school established by Ibn Saud specifically to provide education for his children.[6] He studied religion and modern science. Salman was first appointed as deputy governor of Riyadh Province in 1954 when he was 19 years old and held the post until 1955.[2] He was appointed governor of Riyadh Province on 4 February 1963.[6] His tenure lasted for 48 years from 1963 to 2011.[7] As governor, he contributed to the development of Riyadh from a mid-sized town into a major urban metropolis. He served as an important liaison to attract tourism, capital projects and foreign investment to his country. He favored political and economic relationships with the West.[8] During his governorship, Salman recruited advisors from King Saud University.[9] During Salman's five decades as Riyadh governor, he became adept at managing the delicate balance of clerical, tribal, and princely interests that determine Saudi policy.[10] In January 2011, he ordered the arrest of Riyadh beggars "who try to take advantage of the generosity of people". All foreign beggars were deported and Saudi beggars were placed in a rehabilitation program by the Ministry of Social Affairs.[11] He was also the chairman of the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (KAFRA),[12] King Abdulaziz Museum,[13] the Prince Salman Center for Disability Research and the Prince Fahd bin Salman Charitable Society for the Care of Kidney Patients.[2] Salman also undertook several foreign tours during his reign. In 1974, he visited Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar to strengthen Saudi Arabia's relationship with the nations. During his visit to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1991, he inaugurated a gallery. In 1996, he was received in the Elysée Palace in Paris by the then-French president Jacques Chirac. The same year he toured Bosnia and Herzegovina to give donations to the Muslim citizens of the country. Being a part of an Asian tour in 1998, Salman visited Pakistan, Japan, Brunei and China.[14] Under Salman, Riyadh became "one of the richest cities in the Middle East" and an important place for trade and commerce. There were also infrastructural advances including schools, universities and sports stadiums.[2] About the province, he said