Wars, politics & history

Birth of Abdullah of Saudi Arabia

1 August 1924

Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was born on 1 August 1924 in Riyadh. The King of Saudi Arabia from 2005 until his death, Abdullah was a son of Ibn Saud, the founder of the kingdom, and had earlier led the National Guard for decades and served as crown prince. As king he pursued cautious modernization, founding the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, sending thousands of students abroad on scholarships and appointing the first woman to a ministerial position. He also promoted interfaith dialogue and an Arab peace initiative toward Israel. At the same time, the kingdom remained an absolute monarchy with limits on political freedom. He was succeeded by his half-brother Salman.

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