Saud Bin Abdulaziz Bin Mohammed Al Saud

Imam Saud Bin Abdulaziz Bin Mohammed Bin Saud (1748-1814) was the grandson of the founder of the First Saudi State and its third Imam. He was known as Abu Abdullah and was nicknamed 'Saud the Great' due to the state reaching the peak of its expansion and greatness during his reign, as well as the political, economic, and scientific standing it attained. Renowned for his courage, he was a fearsome military commander whose banner was never defeated in all his campaigns.

His name is Saud Bin Abdulaziz Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Bin Mohammed Bin Miqrin. He was born in Diriyah in 1748. His mother was the daughter of Uthman Bin Mu'ammar. His first participation in the battles to unify the Saudi state was with his father, in the army that headed to the town of al-Awdah in Sudayr region in 1767. The following year, Imam Saud took command of all the armies and achieved successive victories that expanded the borders of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Imam Saud Bin Abdulaziz was intelligent, with a quick memory and understanding. He was considered among the foremost scholars of his time in Quranic interpretation, Hadith, jurisprudence, and Arabic linguistics. He was an eloquent preacher and speaker, distinguished by his eloquence, rhetoric, and good expression. He combined dignity and humility, was fair in his rulings, and was flexible in his policies. He loved to pursue and advocated for knowledge, holding reading and teaching sessions in his palace under his supervision when he was in Diriyah, and sometimes teaching them himself. Despite the many preoccupations and challenges facing the far-flung state, he would set aside time to visit the public teaching circles to check on the students' work and reward the diligent among them.

Imam Saud Bin Abdulaziz was not tyrannical in his rule nor indifferent to advice. He was known for his eagerness to consult scholars and wise men before embarking on any endeavor that carried risks. When it came to matters concerning the Bedouins, he would convene their people and actively seek their counsel on their affairs. Imam Saud's courage was renowned to such an extent that his enemies dreaded facing him; upon learning of his approach, they would hastily retreat, abandoning all they possessed. Historical accounts affirm that Imam Saud never suffered defeat in any battle he commanded.

Imam Saud Bin Abdulaziz participated alongside his father in the battles to unify the First Saudi State against its opponents. He successfully acquired al-Ahsa and the Hejaz, and entered Makkah al-Mukarramah after al-Sharif Ghalib had departed to Jeddah, leaving his brother Abdul-Mu'in Bin Musaid in charge. Abdul-Mu'in, upon Imam Saud's arrival, pledged allegiance under the condition that he remained in control of Makkah al-Mukarramah. Imam Saud accepted the offer and peacefully entered Makkah, dismantling fortifications and abolishing unjust taxes. He corresponded with Sultan Selim the Third, urging him to prevent the governors of Egypt and Damascus from sending the ritual caravan accompanied by drums. Subsequently, Imam Saud besieged Jeddah, but encountering formidable fortifications, he eventually withdrew to Diriyah. Following his departure, al-Sharif Ghalib reclaimed Makkah al-Mukarramah. Meanwhile, Imam Abdulaziz was assassinated, leaving his son, Imam Saud, engaged in conflict with the Ottoman governor in Iraq. Despite these challenges, Imam Saud later returned to Makkah al-Mukarramah to reclaim his authority.

Imam Saud Bin Abdulaziz was pledged Crown Prince during the reign of his father, Imam Abdulaziz, in 1788, at the age of forty-one. After the assassination of his father, he was pledged as Imam of the Saudi State in 1803. Imam Saud accomplished the endeavors initiated by his father and grandfather in state-building and regional unification. His military triumphs persisted, leading the state to its pinnacle of greatness and expansion during his reign, which bestowed upon him the title 'Saud the Great'.

After assuming power, the first action Imam Saud Bin Abdulaziz took was to prepare his army to invade Basra in Iraq. He marched there and besieged it, demolishing all the fortifications surrounding it. Additionally, he laid siege to the city of al-Zubayr for twelve days and conducted campaigns against several tribes. Imam Saud also noted the return of al-Sharif Ghalib to Makkah, his dismissal of its appointed governor, and the potential for revenge, prompting him to order the construction of a fortress in Wadi Fatimah near Makkah al-Mukarramah to exert pressure on al-Sharif Ghalib. Furthermore, he instructed Commander Abdulwahab Abu Nuqtah to launch an attack on Jeddah. Abu Nuqtah's forces landed near the coast, approximately a day and a half away from Makkah. Upon learning of this, al-Sharif Ghalib mobilized his forces to confront them and prevent reinforcements from ad-Dir'iyyah. The two armies clashed, with Imam Saud's forces emerging victorious, compelling al-Sharif Ghalib to retreat to Makkah after his troops were scattered.

The pressure on al-Sharif Ghalib intensified. In addition to the military and economic blockade, the Arabian Peninsula was struck by a drought lasting approximately eight years, mostly affecting the Hejaz region compared to ad-Dir'iyyah, which received supplies via the ports of the Arabian Gulf, further tightening the siege on al-Sharif of Makkah. Imam Saud issued orders to his commanders—Abdulwahab Abu Nuqtah, Uthman al-Mudayfi, and Salem Bin Shukban—to lead their forces to Makkah and prevent armed caravans from entering. Witnessing the weakness of his position and his inability to resist, al-Sharif Ghalib sought peace with Imam Saud, agreeing to head to ad-Dir'iyyah immediately after Hajj to pledge allegiance, obedience, and loyalty. The Saudi army commanders consented, entering Makkah as pilgrims in safety. Consequently, the Makkah al-Mukarramah fell under Saudi rule. After completing the Hajj rituals, each commander returned to his emirate's headquarters.

While the military commanders were concluding a peace treaty with al-Sharif Ghalib, a similar treaty was concluded in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah with the tribal leaders there, who pledged allegiance to Imam Saud in obedience and loyalty. He dispatched scholars to educate the populace and propagate a tolerant interpretation of Islam among them. Consequently, the entire Hejaz came under the governance of the Saudi state.

The Ottoman State was dissatisfied with the entry of Makkah al-Mukarramah under Saudi rule, prompting the Ottoman Sultan to direct his governor in Egypt, Mohammed Ali Pasha, to organize a military campaign toward the Hejaz. Mohammed Ali entrusted his son Tusun with leading the campaign, which commenced in 1811, comprising 14,000 fighters equipped with cannons, weapons, and horses. Tusun seized control of Yanbu and subsequently advanced to al-Madinah al-Munawarah. However, a significant opposing force had already been mobilized by Imam Saud under the leadership of his son Abdullah, totaling 18,000 fighters, including eight hundred horsemen. The two armies clashed in Wadi al-Safra', and the conflict endured for three days. Ultimately, Tusun's campaign suffered defeat, prompting him and his troops to flee to Yanbu, where their ships were docked.

Tusun sought reinforcements from his father after his defeat in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, so his father sent him support in 1812. He used it to bribe and lure some tribal men to join his army. Then, he marched to al-Madinah al-Munawwarah and captured it, proceeding to Jeddah where he encountered no resistance, thanks to a clandestine agreement with al-Sharif Ghalib. After Imam Saud's departure to ad-Dir'iyyah, Tusun and his army advanced to Makkah al-Mukarramah, entering it in 1813. Meanwhile, Prince Abdullah led his forces to al-'Ubaylah east of Taif and dispatched a detachment to Turbah under the command of Mustafa Pasha. However, they suffered defeat and retreated to Taif, where they clashed with its commander, Uthman al-Mudayfi, bolstered by additional forces under al-Sharif Ghalib's leadership. Eventually, they overcame Uthman al-Mudayfi's forces and seized control of Taif.

Imam Saud attacked Tusun's forces encamped in the town of al-Hanakiyyah near al-Madinah al-Munawwarah in 1813, compelling their surrender. Subsequently, he targeted the allied tribes of Tusun's army and advanced towards the outskirts of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah. Meanwhile, Mohammed Ali Pasha personally led a military expedition into Hijaz, resulting in the exile of al-Sharif Ghalib and the installment of al-Sharif Rajeh in his stead. Al-Sharif Rajeh later fled to Turbah and aligned with the Saudi army. Imam Saud then returned to ad-Dir'iyyah, reinforcing his forces in Turbah. Despite enduring a severe siege and bombardment by Ottoman forces, Turbah held firm until Tusun's troops were defeated and forced to retreat.

Imam Saud Bin Abdulaziz passed away in 1814 in ad-Dir'iyyah, after eleven years of rule, at the age of around sixty-eight. He had twelve sons: Abdullah (later Imam Abdullah), Faisal, Nasir, Turki, Ibrahim, Sa'd, Fahd, Mish'ari, Abdulrahman, Umar, Hasan, and Khalid.