This will be a short review of some of the most recent kings of Saudi Arabia.

My questions was “Who was the Prince of Saudi Arabia that shook hands with President Franklin D Roosevelt in 1945?”

His name was King Saud.  He was named Crowned Prince 11 May 1933  by his father, King Abdullah lbn Abdulaziz al-saud.  He was his ‘Tenth’ son.  He  and Prince Muhammad  reported to the coronation of King George VI of the United Kingdom of London.  He becomes Prime Minister on 11 October 1953.

In these early years these men had wealth but nothing like today.  It would be in 1938 that oil became a serious resource.

King of Saudi Arabia 2 November 1964 – 25 March 1975

I always like to look at the Hebrew calendar to see if there is anything interesting going on with them.

Well….this is more than interesting.

We should all update ourselves with a family in our world that affects our every day lives.

First, my goal was to see what God did to King Saud who met with President Franklin D Roosvelt in 1945.  I know his discipline of Roosevelt as he died seven days after signing the pact with King Saud.   But, what about King Saud?  I found that one of his many half-brother’s son stole the dynasty from him.  King Saud compound was under siege by Prince Faisal who had restructured the kingdom while King Saud was in the United States for health purposes.  Prince Faisal was a son to one of King Sauds many half brothers.

He lives in Austria and then Greece.  He misses life in his country and wants to return.  He is not allowed to return by King Faisal.  The matter of succession to the Saudi throne was a source of tension as King Saud worked continually to strive to retain his throne.  King Saud asked Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco and others to host him and his family.  But they were mere stepping stones to returning to Saudi Arabia.  The House of Saud which remained more pure in it’s lineage was called Hejazi meaning, “pure Arab.”  When families lived closer to outlying areas they intermarried with the Turks and Persians.  This group was called, “Najdi.”  King Saud was even willing to live with the Naidi in order to return to Arab soil.  Egypt reluctantly accepted him but he just cost them money and strife.  He wanted to use them as a platform to say how bad his brother, King Faisal, had treated him and the Egyptians wanted him to tear down the “Hejazi” name.  King Saud would not speak against himself.

The 1967 Six-Day War occured and Egypt was about bankrupt and could not support the agendas of King Saud.  They decided he needed to leave their country and raised his rent to $2 million a month.  The King got the hint and packed up and left.  He tried to return under stricter commands from his brother King Faisal, but died before there was ever an agreement.  He died at age 67 as a disposed king, but he did cross back into his homeland to be buried.  His picture was not even printed in the Saudi news.  People around the world recognized him as the deposed king.  I will quote, “Saud’s death was an embarrassment.  While in exile, he and his sons had been honoured by prime ministers and presidents – such as the leaders of Austria, Spain and Greece.”

King Faisal still had contentions within the kingdom as Crown Prince Khalid had obvious weaknesses.  He did find a charismatic leader to foster the House of Saud in Prince Abdullah.  this is the man that they buried in the traditional quiet ceremony January 23, 2015.  It was 3 Shevat 5775, Shemittah Year of Release (let fall).  It about 3:00 p.m. before Sunset, as Shabbot would begin.  King Abdullah was appreciate by many and yet abhorred by many, as well.  It is said that he managed to minimize disagreement in order to stabilize the government and to implement significant social and economic reforms.