Diriyah Fortifications During the First Saudi State

The Diriyah fortifications during the First Saudi State were defensive military structures built by the First Saudi State around its capital, Diriyah, during its period of rule from 1727 to 1818.

History of the Diriyah Fortifications during the First Saudi State

Diriyah was a fortified town like other towns of the period before it was chosen as the capital of the First Saudi State. Its fortifications initially took a simple form, limited to enclosing private farms to protect them from attacks. Diriyah did not have a general wall surrounding it on all sides. In the early period of the First Saudi State, the town’s defensive fortifications remained largely unchanged due to limited human and material resources. 

With the increase in the state’s material resources, the leaders of Diriyah began constructing new fortifications to protect it. The idea of fortifying Diriyah originated with Imam Abdulaziz Bin Mohammad during the reign of his father, Imam Mohammad Bin Saud, the founder of the First Saudi State. In 1758, he ordered the construction of two walls reinforced with towers around Diriyah, in addition to fortifying the towns under their control. Over time, as Diriyah developed and its population and urban growth increased, it became a political, economic, and religious center in the region, leading to the construction of strong fortifications to protect its properties and markets and to safeguard Diriyah from any attack.

Several modifications were made to the Diriyah fortifications over a period of approximately one and a half centuries due to various factors. These included destructive floods that damaged some of its buildings, the leaders’ desire to renew the fortifications after observing defenses in non-Najd regions, and the migration of architects from other areas to Diriyah after it was established as the capital of the First Saudi State. In 1818, the state prepared to confront attacks, and Imam Abdullah bin Saud implemented several measures to protect Diriyah. The town’s towers and defensive walls were insufficient against enemy forces equipped with modern weaponry, prompting the construction of new military fortifications alongside the strengthening and reinforcement of existing ones. Particular attention was given to increasing fortifications in strategic areas, such as the Al-Hukm Palace (Ruling Palace) area, while the overall fortifications of Diriyah were updated and renovated to accommodate modern arms. 

Among the renovations and modifications undertaken by the state at that time to fortify Diriyah were increasing the width of the towers and raising the height of their bases to accommodate artillery. A new element was also introduced to Diriyah’s military architecture, such as ramps that enabled cannons to be moved up to the bases of elevated towers. In addition, passageways for soldiers were constructed within the walls, and structures approximately two and a half meters high were added to the lower sections of the walls to increase their thickness and defensive strength. 

Boundaries of the Diriyah Fortifications during the First Saudi State

The historical scope of Diriyah, with its fortifications and walls, extends from Al-Malqa in the north and includes Al-Alab, Rahabah, and the southern valley terraces along its course, encompassing towns, settled communities, and old neighborhoods such as Ghusaybah, Al-Dhahrat, Al-Dhuwayhirah, Al-Bujairi, Samhan, Al-Turaif, Al-Mulaybid, Al-Batin, the town of Irqah, and Al-Badi‘ah. It also includes the internal areas of the eastern Diriyah fortifications, comprising old and newer neighborhoods on the eastern side of the valley, as well as the internal areas of the western valley fortifications, in addition to modern developments located in the external areas of the western fortifications. The geographical scope further extends from the northern areas of Al-Alab and Al-Ruqayyah on the western side to Al-Sarihah and the lowland area forming the eastern slope of the Al-Turaif district. These areas are connected to the valley terraces and its western tributaries, represented by the farms east of Al-Turaif and to its southeast, as well as the western areas of the valley’s tributaries and branches.

Importance of the Diriyah Fortifications during the First Saudi State

Diriyah during the First Saudi State was renowned for its defensive fortifications, including walls, towers, and other structures. These fortifications represented a prominent model of military architecture in Diriyah in particular, and in Najd and the Arabian Peninsula in general. Their importance stemmed from their constant readiness to defend Diriyah during times of war, protecting it from external attacks and local conflicts. 

Characteristics of Diriyah’s Fortifications during the First Saudi State

Diriyah’s fortifications varied according to the different regions in which they were located or which they overlooked. The people of Najd selected the sites of their fortifications based on areas that posed potential threats to the city, making effective use of the natural landscape. This included exploiting elevated plateaus along the city’s edges to construct walls and towers, thereby protecting the urban settlements overlooking these high grounds. Construction methods also varied in line with military standards: in some areas the walls were built higher, while in others their width was increased to accommodate infantry. The people of Najd further distinguished between towers attached to the walls, which served a supportive and defensive role, and detached towers, which played a crucial role in monitoring and protecting routes. In addition, the inhabitants of Diriyah combined the defensive functions of walls and towers with environmental purposes, using them as water barriers to regulate excess irrigation water or divert floodwaters, particularly in agricultural areas. 

Building materials of Diriyah’s Fortifications in the First Saudi State

The people of Najd relied, in constructing Diriyah’s walls and defensive towers, on materials derived from and readily available in the natural environment, rather than using materials that were difficult to obtain. The principal materials used in building Diriyah’s fortifications included limestone quarried from mountains or plateaus; kharaz (hujul), cylindrical stone blocks; shiqas (or mishqas), small stone pieces about the size of a palm; clay brought from agricultural fields; mud brick (libn), a mixture of clay and straw; plaster (gypsum) produced by firing limestone; and timber taken from date palms, athel trees, or sidr trees.

Elements of Diriyah’s Fortifications in the First Saudi State

The fortifications of Diriyah during the First Saudi State relied on several main elements, most notably:

Walls:
These were defensive barriers constructed to repel enemy attacks and included defensive towers, walkways for foot soldiers, and openings for shooting and surveillance. The Diriyah wall extended from the northern side to the southeastern part of Wadi Hanifa, and from the southwestern side toward the northwest along the western plateau of the valley. The wall was divided into six sections: the northeastern wall, the eastern wall, the southeastern wall, the northwestern wall, the western wall, and the southwestern wall. 

 Towers:
These were important defensive military structures built for defense, surveillance, or both. The towers of Diriyah went through several phases of development and were constructed over different periods. The number of towers attached to Diriyah’s walls reached sixty-two defensive towers, divided according to their geographical location into six groups: northeastern towers, eastern towers, southeastern towers, southwestern towers, western towers, and northwestern towers.