Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| محمد بن عبد العزيز ال سعود Muhammad ibn Abd al-Aziz ibn Abd al-Rahman Al Saud |
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| House of Saud |
| Muhammad ibn Abd al-Aziz ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Faisal ibn Turki Al Saud |
| Offspring |
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Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud (1910 - 1988) (Arabic: محمد بن عبد العزيز ال سعود) was a member of the House of Saud and - as son to the Kingdom's founder, King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud, a brother to all of Saudi Arabia's recent kings. Muhammad was nominally Crown Prince during the first few months (Nov. 1964-March 1965) of the reign of King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz, but voluntarily stepped aside from the succession to allow his younger, and only full brother, Khalid, to become Heir Apparent to the Saudi throne. Reportedly a powerful personality, he was less inclined towards the politics of appeasement, a requisite to garner the necessary support for political power in the Kingdom. Ensuring Khalid's placement as Crown Prince, Muhammed's withdrawal from the succession was also a critical factor in forcing King Saud's abdication in favor of Faisal in 1964.
Muhammad was known as among the most powerful, and wealthiest, in the Saudi royal family and its kingmaker. Until his death in 1988, Muhammed was a close and powerful confidant and senior advisor of King Khalid bin Abdul Aziz and King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz.
He ordered the killing of his granddaughter, Misha'al bint Fahd al Saud, under charges of adultery. British TV's rendition of the event, "Death of a Princess, " threw Saudi-British relations into a diplomatic turmoil and was only resurrected beginning with the multi billion dollar Al Yamamah defence contracts.
