Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

In the 18th century, Muhammad ibn Saud, chief of an Arabian village, together with the Wahhabi religious movement, rose to power and conquered much of Arabia.

Saud I, who reigned from 1803 to 1814, conquered the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in the early years of his rule.

In 1824, the Al-Saud family regained political control of central Arabia and established the Second Saudi State with Turki bin Abdullah Al-Saud as the ruler. He transferred the capital to Riyadh and successfully retook most of the lands lost to the Ottomans.

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud became the King of Saudi Arabia on January 23, 2015, succeeding his half-brother King Abdullah. He is the 25th son of King Abdulaziz, the founder of Saudi Arabia.

Salman was appointed as the Deputy Governor of Riyadh Province on March 17, 1954, at the age of 19.

King Salman served as Governor of Riyadh from April 1955 to December 1960 and again from February 1963 to November 5, 2011.

Since 1956, King Salman has chaired various humanitarian and service committees.

Salman was appointed as the Governor of Riyadh Province on February 5, 1963, and he held this position for almost half a century until November 5, 2011.

King Faisal was instrumental in establishing the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Jeddah in 1971, promoting Islamic unity and cooperation.

In 1974, King Salman visited Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar to strengthen Saudi Arabia's relationship with these nations, demonstrating his efforts to enhance regional cooperation and diplomacy.

Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the current Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, was born on August 31, 1985, to King Salman and Fahda bint Falah Al Hithlain.

In 1986, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia replaced the title 'His Majesty' with the title of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, signifying the kingdom's jurisdiction over the mosques of Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina.

In 1987, Salman was honored with the Grand Cordon of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite from Morocco.

During a visit to Montreal, Canada in 1991, King Salman inaugurated a gallery, showcasing his engagement in cultural and diplomatic activities during his tenure as governor of Riyadh.

As part of an Asian tour in 1998, King Salman visited Pakistan, Japan, Brunei, and China, showcasing his commitment to diplomatic relations and global engagement during his tenure as governor of Riyadh.

Salman was honored with the Grand Cordon of the National Order of Merit from Senegal in 1999.

In November 2002, Salman expressed his views on charitable organizations accused of terrorism, stating that while he personally participated in their activities, he believed the assistance provided was for good causes. He also emphasized that any misuse of charity funds for evil activities was not the responsibility of the Kingdom or its people.

On November 5, 2004, twenty-six prominent Saudi clerics, including Sheikh Nasser al-Omar, issue a fatwa urging Iraqis to rise up against the Americans in Iraq, which is interpreted by many as a call for all Muslims to join the fight.

On November 5, 2011, Salman was appointed as the Minister of Defense, taking over from his brother, Crown Prince Sultan. He also became a member of the National Security Council and was speculated to be placed in the line of succession due to his diplomatic nature and family ties.

On 18 June 2012, Salman was appointed as Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia following the death of his brother, Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz. This appointment was seen as a signal that King Abdullah's cautious reforms were likely to continue.

Prince Muqrin, Salman's youngest half-brother and former intelligence chief, was appointed as deputy crown prince in March 2014. He is set to become the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.

On January 23, 2015, Salman ascended to the throne of Saudi Arabia following the death of his half brother King Abdullah. He implemented significant changes in government ministries and leadership positions.

After coming to power, Salman reshuffled the cabinet on 30 January 2015. Several key positions were changed, including the appointment of Khalid bin Ali bin Abdullah al-Humaidan as the intelligence chief and the removal of Prince Bandar bin Sultan from his post in the security council.

In January 2016, Saudi Arabia executed the prominent Saudi Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr, leading to tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

During his governorship, Salman played a key role in transforming Riyadh from a mid-sized town into a major urban metropolis. He attracted tourism, capital projects, and foreign investment to the city, favoring political and economic relationships with the West.

In June 2018, Salman replaced the labor and Islamic affairs ministers in Saudi Arabia, appointing businessman Ahmed al-Rajhi as labor minister and Abdullatif al-Alsheikh as the new minister for Islamic affairs. Additionally, Salman ordered the establishment of the Ministry of Culture and the Council of Royal Reserves.

In May 2019, leaders of Gulf and Arab states held two emergency summits in Mecca to address regional concerns and present a united front against Iran's actions in the region.

In July 2020, King Salman underwent successful gallbladder surgery, highlighting his health challenges and medical interventions.

In September 2022, King Salman resigned from the post of prime minister in Saudi Arabia, handing over the role to his son Mohammed.

In 2023, King Salman made a significant shift from Wahhabism by creating an authority in Medina to oversee the use of hadith by religious figures to justify teachings on various aspects of life.