Faisal of Saudi Arabia
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Faisal bin Abdelaziz Al Saud (1903 or 1906—March 25, 1975) (Arabic: فيصل بن عبدالعزيز آل سعود) was King of Saudi Arabia from 1964 to 1975.
Faisal was born in Riyadh, the third son of Ibn Saud. Faisal's mother was Tarfa bint Abdullah ibn Abd al-Latif al-Shaykh, who Ibn Saud married in 1902 after capturing Riyadh. Thus, Faisal was descended from Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab through his mother whose father was one of Ibn Saud's principal religious teachers.
Being one of Ibn Saud's eldest sons, Faisal was delegated numerous responsibilities during Ibn Saud's quest to consolidate control over Arabia. In 1925, Faisal, in command of an army of Saudi loyalists, won a decisive victory in the Hijaz. In return, he was made the Governor of Hijaz the following year. After the new Saudi kingdom was formalized, Faisal received the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1932.
After the United Nations partition of Palestine, Faisal called on his father to break relations with the United States, but he was overruled. When Saud's financial ineptness resulted in the bankruptcy of the nation, Faisal was appointed regent, assuming office on March 4, 1964. On November 2 of that year, he became king after his brother Saud abdicated his rule, and left for Greece.
Faisal's rule saw oil production increase, which along with the rise in price of oil, gave the Saudi government riches not seen in the past. This allowed Faisal to introduce various reforms, including girls schools and television. Despite opposition from some Saudis to these reforms, Faisal sought to modernize while remain in the fold of Islam, as he would put it. Faisal's rule also saw an increased emphasis on Islamic identity in the political realm, which was in part due to the rising influence of socialist and pan-Arabic doctrines, popular in places like Egypt, Syria, and Iraq. He was devastated when Israel won the 1967 Six-Day War and he purportedly never smiled again. Although the aftermath gave Saudi Arabia increased importance in the Arab world. Apparently, King Faisal was an avid reader of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and financed their wide dissemination throughout the kingdom and the Arab world. He even gave Henry Kissinger a copy, during a state visit in 1974.
In 1973, Faisal began a program intended to increase the military power of Saudi Arabia. On October 17, he withdrew Saudi oil from world markets, quadrupling the price. Faisal's action was the primary force behind the 1973 energy crisis. In 1974 he was named Time magazine's Man of the Year.
Assassination
On March 25, 1975, Faisal was shot and killed by his brother's son Faisal bin Musad. It has been speculated that he wanted to avenge his elder brother Khalid, who died in a clash with security forces in 1965. Although there have been some conspiracy theories, an investigation found that Prince Faisal bin Musad supposedly acted alone.
Prince Musad was with a Kuwaiti delegation who were waiting to meet the king. King Faisal had bent forward to greet him, but the Prince was reported to have pulled out a pistol and shot King Faisal three times in the face.
Prince Faisal Bin Musad was captured directly after the attack and declared officially insane. He was later found guilty of regicide and in June 1975 he was beheaded in the public square in Riyadh.
Faisal was succeeded by his half-brother Khalid.
Family
Image:Faisal time.jpg Faisal's sons have held and continue to hold important positions in Saudi government. Prince Khalid is the Governor of Asir Province in south-western Saudi Arabia. Another son, Turki ibn Faisal al-Saud served as head of Saudi intelligence and in numerous diplomatic posts, including his present post as ambassador to the United States. Saud ibn Faisal al-Saud is the minister of foreign affairs. A grandson Amr ibn Muhammad al-Faisal is a well-known columnist in the Arab World.
Other
The city of Lyallpur in Pakistan was renamed Faisalabad (meaning the "City of Faisal") in 1979 in his honor. The Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan is named after him as well. The Main Highway in Karachi was renamed Shahrah-e-Faisal; a residential area close to Karachi Airport was renamed Shah Faisal Colony.
The song "Blues for Allah" by the Grateful Dead is a requiem for king Faisal, who was a fan of the band.[1]
Template:Start box Template:Succession box Template:End boxar:فيصل بن عبد العزيز آل سعود de:Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz et:Fayşal (Saudi Araabia) fr:Fayçal II d'Arabie saoudite gl:Faysal bin Abdelaziz Al Saud - فيصل بن عبدالعزيز آل سعود id:Faisal dari Arab Saudi he:פייצל מלך ערב הסעודית ms:Faisal ibn ’Abd al ’Aziz Al Sa’ud nl:Faisal van Saoedi-Arabië ja:ファイサル (サウジアラビア王) pl:Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz al Saud sv:Faisal bin Abdul Aziz zh:费萨尔·伊本·阿卜杜勒·阿齐兹·沙特