Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia: title history

The successor of the King of Saudi Arabia is called Crown Prince. He is the second person after the monarch in the state by the scope of his powers. During the absence in the country of the king, the supreme power passes to the crown prince. The Saudi monarch bears the title of "keeper of two shrines." These are mosques in Mecca and Medina, the most important pilgrimage sites for Muslims around the world. In the past, this title was worn by the rulers of the Arab Caliphate and the Ottoman Empire. When the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, in the absence of the king, fulfills the duties of the head of state, his usual rank of deputy prime minister is changed to the title of vice-keeper of two holy places. In the country there is a special commission called the Council of Fidelity, consisting only of members of the ruling dynasty. She participates in the resolution of issues of succession to the throne and approves the successor appointed by the king.

Origin of the Saud dynasty

In 1744, religious leader Muhammad al-Wahhab concluded an alliance with the ruler of the city of Ad-Driya, Muhammad ibn Saud. They created a single state on the territory of the Arabian Peninsula. 73 years later, the young power was defeated by the troops of the Ottoman Empire, but the dynasty of Saud's continued to exist. Despite the defeat inflicted by the Turks, representatives of this kind founded a new country. Its capital was located in the city of Riyadh. The state lasted 67 years and was destroyed by the Rashid dynasty, long rivals of Saudis. The beginning of the modern kingdom was laid by Abdul-Aziz. In the early 20th century, he captured Riyadh. Subsequently, through numerous wars, he managed to unite almost the entire Arabian Peninsula and become his first king.

Government structure

Saudi Arabia is one of the few preserved in today's world of absolute monarchies. The power of the king is limited only by religious norms. He heads the government and personally appoints all ministers and judges. Before signing important decrees, the monarch consults with authoritative Islamic theologians. There is an advisory body called Mejlis ash-Shura, all members of which are appointed by the king. Any political parties are prohibited. In theocratic Saudi society, laws and the judiciary are based on Sharia law. The king has the right to envy criminals and to revoke sentences.

Succession to the throne

In European monarchies, the crown is traditionally passed from father to elder son. In the dynasty of Saud, a different order was adopted: power passes from brother to brother until the latter dies in the generation. So far, the sons of the first king and founder of the present state joined the throne. When none of them survive, the elder of the grandchildren will receive the crown. The elected heir to the prince of Saudi Arabia is appointed deputy. This is the third most important post in the hierarchy of the country. As a rule, this post is occupied by the prince of Saudi Arabia, who must become the next candidate for the throne by seniority.

The first King Abdel-Aziz had 45 sons. The total number of princes is hundreds. The reason for this is the practice of polygamy. Particularly numerous is the generation of grandchildren. Most of them even theoretically have no chance to take the throne. The title of Prince of Saudi Arabia does not mean power, but only the presence of a kinship with the dynasty.

The current king

Since 2015, Saudi Arabia is ruled by the 25th son of the country's founder Salman. He ascended the throne after the death of his predecessor King Abdullah. Prince of Saudi Arabia Salman was elected heir in 2012. Soon after coming to power, he, in full accordance with tradition, appointed his brother Mukrin, the youngest son of the first king, as successor.

Crown Prince

However, further developments took an unexpected turn. Three months later the order of succession to the throne was changed by the decree of King Salman. He replaced Mukrin with his nephew, Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed ibn Naif. This reform brought the moment of transfer of power to the third generation of the dynasty. Many analysts assumed that the ultimate goal of the new monarch was to make his own son first in line for the throne. This is exactly what happened two years later: Muhammad ibn Naif was not only deprived of the title of heir, but also removed from all government posts. His place was taken by the son of the king, the prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed ibn Salman. This appointment was made to bypass many applicants and destroyed the old principle of precedence.

The split within the ruling elite

The dynasty of Saud is divided into family clans, each of which pursues its own interests. The present monarch belongs to the most influential of them - Sudeyri. The previous King Abdullah was the representative of another clan - Sunayan, who intensified during his reign. There is nothing surprising in the fact that Salman seeks to concentrate power in the hands of a kind. Signs of the existence of such plans have been observed for a long time. Being not yet an heir, but only Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed ibn Salman began to actually manage the country, while simultaneously occupying the post of Minister of Defense and head of the Council on Economic Affairs. According to experts, his candidacy was supported by the United States. Photo of the Prince of Saudi Arabia, next to President Donald Trump, at an official meeting in Riyadh attracted the attention of journalists and political scientists.

Specificity of the palace struggle for power

The founder of the state, Abdel-Aziz, cemented the monolithic nature of the country by marrying women from influential clans. Bequeathed by the first king, the system of transferring the crown according to seniority from brother to brother worked successfully as long as his sons remained alive. But with the transfer of power to the new generation, a problem arises: this order of succession to the throne can continue, if only one kind becomes a successor and pushes others aside. Logic suggests that King Salman will seek to help his clan take this position.