Mani' Al-Muraydi

Mani' ibn Rabi'a Al-Muraydi is the great ancestor of the Saudi royal family (Al Saud), the chieftain of the Duru’ clan in the east of the Arabian Peninsula (or Arabia), and the founder of the city of Diriyah in 1446 — the capital of the First Saudi State. He is the seventh forefather of the founder of the First Saudi State, Imam Muhammed Bin Saud, the ninth forefather of the founder of the Second Saudi State, Imam Turki Bin Abdullah, and the 12th forefather of the founder of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Bin Faisal Bin Turki Al Saud. Fifteen rulers descend from Mani’, some of whom are referred to as "Imams" in the First and Second Saudi States, others as "Kings" in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Mani' Al-Muraydi’s ancestry traces back to Banu Hanifa of the Bakr bin Wa’il Adnanite tribe. His lineage meets that of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in their common grandfather, Nizar bin Ma'ed bin Adnan. His family was among the tribes of Banu Hanifa that moved from Wadi Hanifa (Hanifa Valley) in Najd to the east of Arabia during different points in history. They ultimately settled in the first Diriyah, which was founded by Mani’s forebears in the east of Arabia.

The historic Ghusaybah neighborhood on the banks of Wadi Hanifa in Riyadh. (Darah)

When Banu Hanifa returned to their settlements in Najd, their leader Ibn Dir’—who was influential in the Hajr al-Yamamah area during the 9th century AH/15th century AD—contacted his paternal cousin Mani' Al-Muraydi and called on him to return to settle in Wadi Hanifa. The latter obliged and relocated his family from his hometown east of Arabia to Najd, where his cousin allocated to him the lands of Al-Mulaibid and Ghusaibah on both sides of Wadi Hanifa and dubbed them Diriyah (to preserve the name of his old town). By doing so, he laid the foundation for the First Saudi State which rose three centuries later and whose borders expanded beyond Mani’s old and new towns.

Mani' Al-Muraydi expanded his new town by way of architecture and agriculture, attracting a number of families to settle there. His son Rabi’a continued to expand Diriyah's influence after his father’s passing. The progeny of Mani’ continued to support stability and authority in the region until the First Saudi State was established. Diriyah became its capital when Imam Mohammed bin Saud took office in 1727 and founded the First Saudi State. The descendants of Mani' Al-Muraydi continued to sustain stable government in the region.