King Abdulaziz's Final Months: Key Decisions Shaping State, Institutions, and Enduring Legacy

For decades, the history of King Abdulaziz has captivated historians and researchers of diverse backgrounds and nationalities.

Dozens of research papers, studies, and writings have explored various facets of this history, encompassing not only the political career of the king but also delving into his leadership persona, strategic thinking, military prowess, and visionary aspirations.

It is not merely the history of a monarch but rather the history of a kingdom and the chronicle of a nation.

The writer and diplomat, Khair al-Din al-Zarkali, vividly illustrates how, in less than 50 years, “one man succeeded in establishing what 12 centuries failed to create or bring forth between the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf.”

Al-Zarkali describes this achievement as the unification of emirates, the formation of a nation, the construction of a state, and the establishment of a civilization.

Furthermore, the Saudi author and historian, Mohammed Hussein Zaidan, adds, “King Abdulaziz is the crown jewel of his era. He restored dignity to the Arabian Peninsula within the grand entity.”

British writer and journalist, Cecil Roberts, explains how “King Abdulaziz filled a significant void in history, extending his reign over an expanse comparable to the combined territories of England, France, and Germany.”

“He acquired a kingdom with his sword and secured its protection through politics,” adds Roberts.

It is likely that the king, who lived for approximately 80 years, was born in 1876 in Riyadh, while his death was recorded on 9 November 1953 in Taif.

Despite seven decades having passed since his departure, numerous details surrounding that event require clarification, some demand elucidation, and others necessitate correction.

In addition to these, there is a need for careful scrutiny, verification, and documenting the facts surrounding the king’s death and the official and popular reactions it elicited.

King Abdulaziz was not just a ruler; he was a bearer of a message, a catalyst for progress, a nation-builder, and a unifier of the people.

Documentation and record-keeping also call for an examination of how the sons of King Abdulaziz dealt with this tragic event.

Despite their profound loss, their monumental task of assuming governance responsibilities, orchestrating the transition of power, ensuring the country's stability, and managing state affairs has not received its due share of documentation.

What constitutionalists commonly term as the “power vacuum” in many cases, especially during critical times in a nation’s history, is undoubtedly one of the moments unknown to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia throughout its history.

The reason for this lies in the institutionalized governance framework and constitutional precedents established, with King Abdulaziz taking meticulous measures in the last three months of his life, as depicted in this work.

This November marks the 70th anniversary of King Abdulaziz’s passing.

The throngs that gathered at Riyadh Airport square on the dawn of Saturday, on August 8, 1953, to bid farewell to the founding king were unaware that it would be their final farewell.

At that dawn, the king concluded his prayers, exited from the Murabba Palace for the last time, heading to the airport.

Signs of aging were evident, having been unable to walk for about eight years and relying on a “horse,” a wheelchair gifted to him by the US President Franklin Roosevelt.

In a surge of emotions, Saudi writer and educator Mr. Ahmed Ali Al-Kazimi vividly describes the encounter with the king in 1950.

“We entered the council before the king, and after a while, His Majesty arrived riding a small, beautiful carriage with two large wheels at the back and two small wheels at the front. Above his head was a canopy pushed by one of the attendants,” recounts Al-Kazimi.

“Seeing him in this carriage brought back many memories to my mind, memories of shadows and dreams, all indicating the blessings that accompanied this man throughout his life, from the moment he set out to reclaim the kingdom of his forefathers,” he adds.

The king affectionately named his carriage the “horse” and favored its use.

This decision allowed him to forego walking as he aged and battled with arterial sclerosis, lack of sleep, and stress from overseeing state affairs.

He slept no more than 4 to 6 hours a day and suffered from several episodes that affected his health.

Yet, the king’s charisma, regal presence, and strength remained undiminished, accompanied by the enduring love of the faithful people.

Despite his health challenges, the king was determined to travel to Taif to personally oversee the Hajj season that year.

As the sun rose, the royal plane, a “DC-4 Sky Master,” departed Riyadh around 5:30 AM.

The sunrise seemingly mirrored the dawn of King Abdulaziz's era over Riyadh more than 50 years earlier, marking the unification of the peninsula and the establishment of his rule after centuries of dispersion.

Many wonder if anyone on that plane ascending to the skies could have foreseen that it was their last journey, and that the sun of King Abdulaziz was bidding farewell amidst the takeoff of a squadron of planes carrying the king’s entourage, princes, senior statesmen, the retinue, and the guard.

At precisely 8:20 AM, the royal plane touched down at Hail Airport.

Crown Prince Prince Saud and Foreign Minister Prince Faisal ascended to greet the arrival of the monarch.

On the airport grounds, crowds assembled, including princes, scholars, ministers, Shura Council members, prominent merchants, military leaders, tribal chiefs, mayors, and a multitude of Saudi citizens.

Subsequently, a military band rendered honors to His Majesty, the royal anthem echoed, and applause filled the airport.

A large pavilion was erected for the reception, drawing crowds from Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, Taif, and their surroundings, all eager to extend their greetings to the king.

The royal procession then left Hail Airport en route to Taif, with villagers lining the sides of the road, joyfully greeting their revered monarch.

As the procession reached the entrance of Taif, the artillery fired 21 welcoming shots, and young cadets from military schools stood in salute, echoing words of welcome and loyalty.

The crowds, extending from the entrance of Taif to the palace (currently King Faisal Road), lined the route, singing national songs.

Triumphal arches, decorations, and Saudi flags adorned the road, raised in all the streets and markets of Taif.

Upon arrival at the Royal Palace, a military salute was rendered, and the royal anthem was played.

Later that evening, the king received delegations from the people of Taif.

A poem by an esteemed poet was recited during the reception, with the locals delivering their words through the schoolteacher at Al-Aziziya School, Mr. Ahmed Kamal, representing them.

The king’s program continued with the reception of official and popular delegations, and the management of state affairs.

The bustling Royal Palace in the city of Taif continued to be filled every day with delegations from various classes, eager to greet our revered king and welcome his auspicious presence.

His Majesty graciously met with them while attending to the ongoing execution of state affairs, the administration of its high policies, and the guidance of its responsible ministries and departments.

His Majesty efficiently reviewed and summarized matters brought to his attention.

The latest official update on King Abdulaziz’s activities in Taif was his reception of the Grand Mufti, Sheikh Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Al-Sheikh, on October 10, 1953.

On the same day, the king issued one of his most significant and final royal decrees, forming the Council of Ministers and appointing Crown Prince Prince Saud as its head.

The Crown Prince, in turn, delegated the vice-presidency of the council to Prince Faisal.

King Abdulaziz aimed to solidify the institutional framework of the state before his passing, organizing the governance structure and the hierarchy of succession.

From that point forward until the passing of the founding king, the news prominently focused on the activities of the Crown Prince, who served as the Prime Minister and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

This shift indicated King Abdulaziz’s intention to complete the foundational structure of the state and organize the governance apparatus, setting the stage for a clear succession plan.

A baby girl froze to death overnight in Gaza, while Israel and Hamas accused each other of complicating ceasefire efforts that could wind down the 14-month war.

The 3-week old baby was the third to die from the cold in Gaza's tent camps in recent days, doctors said, deaths that underscore the squalid conditions, with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians crammed into often ramshackle tents after fleeing Israeli offensives.

Israel’s bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The offensive has caused widespread destruction and displaced some 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, often multiple times. Hundreds of thousands are packed into tent camps along the coast as the cold, wet winter sets in. Aid groups have struggled to deliver food and supplies and say there are shortages of blankets, warm clothing and firewood, The AP reported.

Israel has increased the amount of aid it allows into the territory, reaching an average of 130 trucks a day so far this month, up from around 70 a day in October and November. Still, the amount remains well below than previous months and the United Nations says it is unable to distribute more than half the aid because Israeli forces deny permission to move within Gaza or because of rampant lawlessness and theft from trucks.

The father of 3-week-old Sila, Mahmoud al-Faseeh, wrapped her in a blanket to try and keep her warm in their tent in the Muwasi area outside the town of Khan Younis, but it wasn't enough, he told The Associated Press.

He said the tent was not sealed from the wind and the ground was cold, as temperatures on Tuesday night dropped to 9 degrees Celsius (48 degrees Fahrenheit.) Muwasi is a desolate area of dunes and farmland on Gaza’s Mediterranean coast.

“It was very cold overnight and as adults we couldn’t even take it. We couldn’t stay warm,” he said. Sila woke up crying three times overnight and in the morning they found her unresponsive, her body stiff.

“She was like wood,” said al-Faseeh. They rushed her to a field hospital where doctors tried to revive her, but her lungs had already deteriorated. Images of Sila taken by the AP showed the little girl with purple lips, her pale skin blotchy.

Ahmed al-Farra, director of the children’s ward at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, confirmed that the baby died of hypothermia. He said two other babies — one 3 days old, the other a month old — had been brought to the hospital over the past 48 hours after dying of hypothermia.

Meanwhile, hopes for a ceasefire looked complicated Wednesday, with Israel and the militant Hamas group that runs Gaza trading accusations of delaying an agreement. In recent weeks, the two sides appeared to be inching toward a deal that would bring home dozens of hostages held by the militants in Gaza, but differences have emerged.

Although Israel and Hamas have expressed optimism that progress was being made toward a deal, sticking points remain over the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, people involved in the talks say.

On Wednesday, Hamas accused Israel of introducing new conditions related to the withdrawal from Gaza, the prisoners and the return of displaced people, which it said was delaying the deal.

Israel's government accused Hamas of reneging on understandings that have already been reached.” Still, both sides said discussions are ongoing.

Israel’s negotiating team, which includes members from its intelligence agencies and the military, returned from Qatar on Tuesday evening for internal consultations, following a week of what it called “significant negotiations."

During its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, Hamas and other groups took about 250 people hostages and brought them to Gaza. A previous truce in November 2023 freed more than 100 hostages, while others have been rescued or their remains have been recovered over the past year.

Israel says about 100 hostages remain in Gaza — at least a third whom it believes were killed during the Oct. 7 attack or died in captivity.

Sporadic talks have taken place for a year, but in recent weeks there's been a renewed push to reach a deal.

President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office next month for his second term, has demanded the immediate release of Israeli hostages, saying on social media that if they're not freed before he is sworn in, there will be “HELL TO PAY.”

Families of the hostages are becoming increasingly angry, calling on the Israeli government for a ceasefire before Trump is sworn in.

After Israel’s high-level negotiation team returned from Doha this week, hostage families called an emergency press conference in Tel Aviv, Israel, pleading for a ceasefire and a complete end to the war.

Shir Siegel, the daughter of Israeli-American Keith Siegel, whose mother was released after more than 50 days in captivity, said every delay could endanger their lives. “There are moments when every second is fateful, and this is one of those moments,” she said.

Families of the hostages marked the first night of Hannukah with a candle lighting ceremony in Tel Aviv as well as by the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

The agreement would take effect in phases and include a halt in fighting, an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and a surge in aid to the besieged Gaza, according to Egyptian, Hamas and American officials. The last phase would include the release of any remaining hostages, an end to the war and talks on reconstruction.

King Abdulaziz's Final Months: Key Decisions Shaping State, Institutions, and Enduring Legacy