King Abdulaziz and the Retaking of Riyadh
In the late th century, Saudi Arabia was in a state of turmoil. The Ottoman Empire was weak and in decline, and regional powers were fighting for control of the Arabian Peninsula. In 1902, Abdulaziz ibn Saud, the ruler of the small emirate of Najd, seized the opportunity to capture Riyadh, the capital of the rival emirate of Hashimite. This was a daring move that paid off handsomely. With control of Riyadh, Abdulaziz was able to reunify much of Arabia under his rule. Although his kingdom was initially opposed by both the Ottomans and the British, Abdulaziz persevered and went on to establish the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The story of King Abdulazizs struggle to regain Riyadh is an inspiring example of perseverance in the face of adversity.
Riyadh had been taken by the long-standing rivals of the House of Saud in 1891 when Muhammad bin Abdullah Al Rashid conquered the city. Abdulaziz had only been a boy of 15 at the timeand he and his
At the end of 1901, Abdulaziz with his brother and many cousins began raiding tribes who were allied with or part of the Rashidis in the region of the Negd (Goldrup, 1971). As the raids continued, Abdulazizs forces grew and more and more tribes joined him. Finally, Riyadh was within sight, and Rashid...…fell asleep at their posts (Gornall, 2021). The siege concluded with the slaying of the governor of the city and the Saudi takeover.
Thus Abdulaziz became the new Emir of Najd. The capture was relatively easy, after all, and Abdulaziz and his men were soon assisted by another batch of warriors sent by the ruler of Kuwait. Still, the capture of Riyadh was a significant event in Saudi Arabian history, as it marked the beginning of the Saud dynastys rule over the country. Abdulaziz would go on to unite all of the tribes of Arabia under his banner, and in 1932, he would declare himself King of Saudi Arabia. Thus, the capture of Riyadh was a pivotal moment in Abdulaziz's rise to power, and it…
