38
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Seen by a Diplomat’s Spouse
In 1937, huge reserves of oil were discovered in the
northeast of the country. A series of photographs showed
the Saudi monarch, with a smile of satisfaction on his face,
checking the increasingly active projects for the extraction
and refining of the black gold. This is not surprising, for
the country was progressing rapidly towards prosperity.
The King was seen in such photographs during the
celebrations of the discovery of the rich industrial oil
reserves in Dhahran being greeted on board of the first
oil tanker. He is shown in another photograph giving a
banquet in his summer tent in honor of the delegation of
ARAMCO, one of the largest companies that had grown at
the expense of Saudi oil, being surrounded by Americans
disguised in Arab popular guise.
Towards the end of the Second World War, the Kingdom
was constantly on the move and expanding all the time.
On his way back from the Yalta Conference, President
Roosevelt had to travel a long distance in order to visit
his strategic partner. Cameras kept busy photographing
the meeting between the two leaders on board a ship in
the Suez Canal on February 15, 1945, during which King
Abdulazizi sought to obtain commitments from the United
States that any changes in the position regarding the
Palestinian Question will not be effected till after detailed
consultations were made with the Arabs and the Jews.
This diplomatic victory no doubt had enhanced the
personal position of the King as well as the status of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the whole world. Only two
years later, on February 17, following insistence by the
British, a meeting was held between the King and the
39
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Seen by a Diplomat’s Spouse
British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. It looked as
though the Great Powers were competing in showing
their interest towards the rich oil giant. They were not
alone. We can see in the old photographs a series of kings
and leaders from various countries hurrying to visit this
highly respected and recognized leader by all in the great
country which he has established with his own hands, or
photographs showing his reception by them in their own
countries.
While writing these words, I look before me and see
a photograph of the Young King, which photograph can
be seen not only in books and magazines but also on the
walls of the offices of official personalities, financiers and
businessmen, as well in the windows of photographic
shops. The Saudis love and respect their first King. This
man creates real interest in one’s soul. His is a tall posture
(taller than that of his many relatives, his entourage and
retinue, with the exception of his eldest son). He has
handsome features, intelligent looks, and a rosary that is
continuously held between his long fingers. I kept looking
at this photograph. It seemed to me I had seen his face
in actual fact some time ago. I would be interested in
knowing what he was dreaming about and what he knew
about the complicated world? What was it that he wanted,
contemplated, desired and aimed at? He was born in a
country that led a tribal life. He had spent thirty years in
exile with his family, his father hiding at first in the desert,
and then in Kuwait. What was it that he knew about the
outside world except his own world But he was armed
with his faith and had an invincible will power and a strong
40
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Seen by a Diplomat’s Spouse
physical build up. He knew exactly what he wanted and
desired. He had sworn to recapture the land of his family and
to liberate his countrymen. This he did realize splendidly.
In November 1953, when he was 77 years of age, of
which he had given thirty years for the cause of unifying
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and of guaranteeing security,
peace and stability therein, and having established a firm
foundation for the prosperity of the state, he passed away.
With his death, the country concluded a long and important
phase of its history.
According to various sources, he has left male children
whose numbers ranged between 34 and 36 from 14
mothers. The number of his wives, throughout his life, as
is well known, has exceeded three hundred. However, he
has adhered strictly to the provisions of the Holy Quran,
having only four wives at one and the same time; some
he divorced and others had died. Such a large number is
not to be understood as reflecting his fondness of women,
but rather his desire to contract many family links with
a view to stopping tribal disputes and assembling clans
round him, and, consequently, to build a unified state that
has a vast expanse of territory of the Arabian Peninsula.
Shortly before his death, King Abdulaziz had indicated
in his will that his sons should take over the running of the
state. Some witnesses report that, to preclude competition
between them, he asked his two eldest sons, Saud and
Faisal, to solemnly swear on the Holy Quran to obediently
fulfill his final will, namely, to live in peace and harmony,
the first to become king, the second, crown prince, his
other sons to continue to run the country, and as long as
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