Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Al Saud

Early life

Abdulaziz was born in 1720 and was the eldest son of Muhammad bin Saud.{{cite thesis|author=Charles F. Balka|title=The Fate of Saudi Arabia: Regime Evolution in the Saudi Monarchy|degree=MA|page=16

Long before the death of his father Abdulaziz was announced the next ruler of the state at the request of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab. From 1750 Abdulaziz was the chief military commander of the Emirate due to his father's old age.{{cite thesis

Reign

The reign of Abdulaziz bin Muhammad began in 1765 when his father died. Although his father was titled as Emir, Abdulaziz was given the titles of both Emir and Imam. However, the latter title was not granted immediately after his succession to the throne, but it was given later. Imam as a title was a reflection of Abdulaziz's religious education by Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab and his deeply religious personality. His younger brother, Abdullah, unsuccessfully challenged the rule of Abdulaziz.{{cite journal|author1=Abdullah Hazaa Othman|author2=Oleg Evgenievich Grishin|volume=13|author3=Bakil Hasan Nasser Ali|title=The Conflict Wings in the Saudi Political System|journal=Journal of Politics and Law|year=2020|issue=3|page=65|doi=10.5539/jpl.v13n3p64

Abdulaziz's father, Muhammad bin Saud, initiated attacks against the ruler of Riyadh, Dahham bin Dawwas, in 1747.{{cite journal |archive-date=2 November 2018}} Their military success and orthodox approach to religion won them great support in the area. Their standing was also boosted by Abdulaziz's practice of holding open meetings where tribal elders could meet with him, allowing access to their ruler. During his reign Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab was his major advisor and dealt with all major activities, including treasury. However, following the capture of Riyadh Abdulaziz bin Muhammad himself began to control the budget of the state due to the significant increase in revenues. As early as 1790 Abdulaziz's forces started their attacks in the region near the Euphrates in southern Iraq. The region was the settlement of the Shammar tribe, originally from Najd, and they were defeated two times in 1791. Muslat bin Mutlaq Al Jarba, son of the tribal leader Mutlaq bin Muhammad, killed in the battle which led to the migration of the tribe to southern Mesopotamia.

The expansion continued with the capture of Qatif in 1794{{cite thesis|author=Abdulaziz Mohamed Hasan Ali Al Khalifa|title=Relentless Warrior and Shrewd Tactician: Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmad of Bahrain 1795-1849 A Case Study of Shaikhly Statecraft in the Nineteenth Century Gulf|degree=PhD|date=April 2013|page=73|url=https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/handle/10871/12461?show=full|hdl=10871/12461

In 1802 Hejaz, namely Taif and Khurma, was captured,{{cite thesis|author=Nawaf bin Ayyaf Almogren|title=Diriyah Narrated by Its Built Environment: The Story of the First Saudi State (1744-1818)|url=https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/127856|hdl=1721.1/127856

In 1802 Bahrain was invaded and captured by the ruler of Muscat. Abdulaziz bin Muhammad recaptured it in addition to Qatar and appointed there a governor, Abdullah bin Ufaysan, there. The rulers of Bahrain, Abdullah and Salman, together with their families were sent to Diriyah where they were all detained.{{cite thesis|author=Abdul Wahap Saleh Babeair|title=Ottoman Penetration of the Eastern Region of the Arabian Peninsula, 1814-1841|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/303386071

Sack of Karbala

Main article: Wahhabi sack of Karbala

In 1802 Abdulaziz bin Muhammad's forces led by his heir and son Saud attacked Karbala and Najaf in Iraq.{{cite thesis|author=Hassan S. Abedin|title=Abdul Aziz Al Saud and the Great Game in Arabia, 1896-1946

The observations of Lieutenant Francis Warden, a British military official, about the attack are as follows:

They pillaged the whole of it [Karbala], and plundered the Tomb of Hussein...slaying in the course of the day, with circumstances of peculiar cruelty, above five thousand of the inhabitants...

Personal life and assassination

Abdulaziz married to the daughter of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab and the daughter of Uthman bin Mu'ammar, the ruler of Uyayna.{{cite thesis|author=Adham Saouli|title=Dilemmas of Late Formation. International System and State Survival in the Middle East. Case Studies: Saudi Arabia and Iraq|page=126|degree=PhD|location=University of St Andrews|year=2009|url=http://hdl.handle.net/10023/752

Abdulaziz was much more adhered to the Wahhabi cause and more aggressive than his father.

Shortly after his capture of Mecca Abdulaziz returned to Diriyah where he was assassinated by a Kurdish man who was a darwish when Abdulaziz was leading Asr Salat in the mosque of Turaif in November 1803.{{cite thesis|author=Jerald L. Thompson|title=H. St. John Philby, Ibn Saud and Palestine|url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA111290|degree=MA

Abdulaziz ibn Muhammad was assassinated by Ibadgi Osman, a Mussulman of the sect of Ali. He had profaned the tomb of Ali, and thus excited the fury of the disciples of that prophet. Ibadgi Osman resolved to avenge the ashes of Ali. He crossed the desert of Arabia on a dromedary, entered the tent of Abdulaziz while he was at prayers, and plunged a cangiar into his breast crying, "Let this avenge the tomb of Ali, for thy profanations." The brother of Abdulaziz, hearing the noise, ran into the tent, where he found his brother bathed in his blood, and the assassin, who squatted himself down, saying his prayers, and calmly awaiting death. He attacked him; but Ibadgi Osman, who was the strongest of the two, got up and killed his assailant with the same cangiar which was still stained with the blood of his brother. The soldiers then entered, and cut the assassin in pieces with their sabers.

Abdulaziz was succeeded by his eldest son, Saud.

Writings

A student of his father-in-law, Muḥammad ibn 'Abdil Wahhab, 'Abdil 'Azīz bin Muḥammad followed his father-in-law and teacher in writing on matters such as tawhid and the avoidance of grave-worshiping and other such related matters, with his epistles having been praised by Al-Shawkani, a scholar.{{Cite book|author=Jamal al-Din Zarabozo|title=The Life, Teachings and Influence of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab|publisher=Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance|year=2003|page=155

References

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