Faisal of Saudi Arabia

Faisal
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques[1]
Formal portrait, 1945
King of Saudi Arabia
Reign2 November 1964 – 25 March 1975
Bay'ah2 November 1964
PredecessorSaud
SuccessorKhalid
Regent of Saudi Arabia
Tenure4 March 1964 – 2 November 1964
Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia
Tenure16 August 1954 – 21 December 1960
PredecessorSaud bin Abdulaziz
SuccessorSaud bin Abdulaziz
Tenure31 October 1962 – 25 March 1975
PredecessorSaud bin Abdulaziz
SuccessorKhalid bin Abdulaziz
Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia
Tenure9 November 1953 – 2 November 1964
PredecessorSaud bin Abdulaziz
SuccessorKhalid bin Abdulaziz
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Tenure19 December 1930 – 22 December 1960
PredecessorOffice established
SuccessorIbrahim bin Abdullah Al Suwaiyel
Tenure16 March 1962 – 25 March 1975
PredecessorIbrahim bin Abdullah Al Suwaiyel
SuccessorSaud Al Faisal
Viceroy of Hejaz
Tenure9 February 1926 – 22 September 1932
SuccessorKhalid bin Abdulaziz
Born(1906-04-14)14 April 1906
Riyadh, Emirate of Riyadh
Died25 March 1975(1975-03-25) (aged 68)
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Cause of deathGunshot wounds (assassination)
Burial26 March 1975
Al-Oud cemetery, Riyadh
Spouse
List
  • Sultana bint Ahmed Al Sudairi
  • Iffat bint Mohammad Al Thunayan
  • Al Jawhara bint Saud Al Kabir
  • Haya bint Turki Al Turki
  • Hessa bint Muhammad Al Muhanna Aba Al Khail
  • Munira bint Suhaim Al Thunayan Al Mahasher
  • Fatima bint Abdulaziz Al Shahrani
Issue
Among others ...
List
  • Prince Abdullah
  • Princess Sara
  • Prince Mohammed
  • Prince Saud
  • Prince Khalid
  • Prince Abdul Rahman
  • Prince Saad
  • Prince Bandar
  • Prince Turki
  • Princess Lolowah
  • Princess Haifa
Full name
Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman
HouseAl Saud
FatherAbdulaziz of Saudi Arabia
MotherTarfa bint Abdullah Al Sheikh
Occupation
  • Politician
  • diplomat
Signature
Military career
Allegiance Saudi Arabia
BranchArmed Forces of Saudi Arabia
Years of service1919–1975
Battles / wars
  • Unification of Saudi Arabia
  • First Arab–Israeli War
  • Buraimi Dispute
  • North Yemen Civil War
  • Al-Wadiah War
  • Six-Day War
  • Yom Kippur War

Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (Arabic: فيصل بن عبدالعزيز آل سعود Fayṣal ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Āl Su‘ūd; 14 April 1906[2] – 25 March 1975) was King of Saudi Arabia from 1964 until his assassination.

Life

Born on April 14, 1906. He was the third son of Ibn Saud. He became king when his brother Saud resigned.

He was the Saudi foreign minister from 1930 and prime minister from 1954 until his death, except for a two-year break in both positions from 1960 to 1962.

Death

On 25 March 1975, King Faisal was shot twice in the head in a point-blank by his nephew, Faisal bin Musaid, the son of his half-brother, Musa'id bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. He was quickly taken to Central Hospital in Riyadh as doctors massaged his heart and gave him a blood transfusion but failed. He died shortly afterwards. He was 68 years old. At the time of his death, his nephew was executed three months later by decapitation for the murder.

References

  1. Fakkar, Galal (27 January 2015). "Story behind the king's title". Arab News. Jeddah. Archived from the original on 4 August 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  2. "King Faisal Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabia". Retrieved 25 June 2012.