Fahd of Saudi Arabia

Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was king of Saudi Arabia from 1982 until his death in 2005. His reign included the Gulf War and the promulgation of the kingdom’s 1992 Basic Law of Governance.

Basic Law of Governance: Saudi Arabia’s 1992 constitutional document, defining the state, government, and rights within an Islamic framework. Fahd issued this foundational document by royal order in 1992.
King of Saudi Arabia: The hereditary monarch who serves as Saudi Arabia’s head of state and government. Fahd exercised this office from 1982 until his death.
Ibn Saud: The founder and first king of Saudi Arabia, who unified much of the Arabian Peninsula under House of Saud rule. Fahd was one of Ibn Saud’s sons.
Grand Mosque seizure: The 1979 armed occupation of Mecca’s Grand Mosque by militants led by Juhayman al-Otaybi. The seizure preceded Fahd’s accession and shaped the kingdom’s religious and security climate.
Absolute monarchy: A system of government in which a monarch holds supreme authority without constitutional limits imposed by elected institutions. Saudi governance under Fahd remained monarchical despite the Basic Law’s institutional provisions.
Gulf War: The 1990–91 conflict that began with Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and ended with a US-led coalition expelling Iraqi forces. Fahd’s decision to host coalition forces made Saudi Arabia central to the war.
Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia: The designated successor to the Saudi throne, usually a senior member of the House of Saud. Abdullah served as crown prince and de facto ruler during Fahd’s later incapacity.
Sudairi Seven: A group of seven influential sons of Ibn Saud born to Hassa bint Ahmed Al Sudairi. Fahd belonged to this powerful group of full brothers.
1990–91 Saudi Arabia troop deployment: The deployment of foreign coalition forces to Saudi Arabia after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. Fahd authorized the deployment that triggered fierce domestic religious debate.
Constitutional monarchy: A monarchy in which a constitution constrains the sovereign and establishes representative political institutions. Saudi Arabia’s Basic Law did not create a constitutional monarchy or elected national legislature.

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