Fahd

/fahd/, n. (Fahd ibn Abdul-Aziz al Saud)

born 1922, king of Saudi Arabia since 1982 (son of ibn-Saud and brother of Khalid).

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▪ 2006

Fahd ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAziz al-Saʿud  Saudi monarch (b. 1923, Riyadh, Arabia—d. Aug. 1, 2005, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), as crown prince (1975–82) and king (from 1982) of Saudi Arabia, oversaw the country's rapid modernization, but he later faced a number of challenges, most notably the rise of Islamic extremists. Fahd, the 11th son of Ibn Saʿud (the founder of the Saudi kingdom), held several government positions under his half brother King Faysal before being named crown prince when his half brother Khalid ascended the throne in 1975. Owing to Khalid's poor health, Fahd became the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia, and using the country's immense oil revenues, he built roads, hospitals, and housing complexes. He also established Saudi Arabia as a moderating force in the Middle East, actively pursuing peace in the region. After succeeding Khalid upon his death in 1982, Fahd encountered a series of difficulties. In the mid-1980s oil prices fell, triggering a steady decline in the country's economy. Islamic fundamentalism also became a major concern, especially after Fahd allowed Western troops, including those from the U.S., to be stationed in Saudi Arabia following the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. His decision was extremely unpopular and allegedly contributed to the rise of militants. Although Fahd undertook a number of measures—including the strict enforcement of Wahhabism and the funding of mosques around the world—to appease hard-liners, domestic terrorist attacks increased in the 1990s. There was also rising opposition to his autocratic rule, and Fahd responded with modest democratic reforms, including the 1993 establishment of an advisory body, the Majlis al-Shura (Consultative Council). In 1995 Fahd suffered a debilitating stroke. His younger half brother Crown Prince Abdullah became virtual ruler and succeeded Fahd as king.

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▪ king of Saudi Arabia

in full  Fahd ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz al-Saʿūd  

born 1923, Riyadh, Arabia [now in Saudi Arabia]

died August 1, 2005, Riyadh

 king of the Saudi Arabians from 1982 to 2005. As crown prince and as an active administrator, he had been virtual ruler during the preceding reign (1975–82) of his half brother King Khālid.

      Fahd was the first son of Hassa Sudairi after her remarriage to the founder of the kingdom, Ibn Saʿūd. Court-educated in religion, chivalry, and politics, Fahd was named minister of education in 1953 and established a system of public elementary and secondary education. Later he undertook an earnest program of self-improvement, making up for his lack of formal schooling. In 1962 he was made minister of the interior and, in 1967, second deputy premier as well. During the reign (1964–75) of his half brother King Fayṣal, Fahd chaired several supreme councils dealing with such matters as national security, educational policy, and oil affairs. After Fayṣal's assassination, Khālid became king but left much of the country's administration to Fahd, whom he named crown prince. Fahd traveled extensively as a spokesman for the Arab world, and, in a highly publicized trip to the United States in 1977, he met with President Jimmy Carter to discuss peace in the Middle East and the Palestinian problem. In 1982 he succeeded Khālid as king.

      Fahd was a consistent advocate of modernization and established a corps of Western-trained technicians to oversee the country's industrial diversification. In the 1970s and '80s he was also the principal architect of Saudi Arabia's foreign policy, which sought to counterbalance Soviet influence in the Middle East by providing financial aid to moderate states, notably Egypt. In 1990, after Iraq's invasion of neighbouring Kuwait, Fahd reversed a long-standing policy and invited Western and Arab forces to deploy in Saudi Arabia in support of the Saudi defense forces.

      Fahd suffered a stroke in 1995 and on January 1, 1996, handed over control of the government to his half brother Crown Prince Abd Allāhʿ. Less than two months later Fahd returned to power, though ʿAbd Allāh continued to handle the day-to-day affairs of the country. Upon Fahd's death in 2005, ʿAbd Allāh was appointed king.

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