Diriyah & the House of Al Saud

The House of Al Saud

It pays to be obvious and bold at times, especially when it comes to nation building. Saudi Arabia is home to a modest culture, full of subtleties, but at its founding, the ruling family made clear who built the empire by naming the country Saudi Arabia, after the ruling Saud family. The direct translation of Saudi Arabia is “Saud’s Arabia”, leaving no room to question whose land it is. 

Saudi’s royal family is certainly not the longest reigning in humanity’s history books; that title belongs to the Japanese who have had 126 monarchs serve to date. Saudi Arabia is a young Royal Kingdom in comparison, which had its start when Muhammad bin Saud founded Saudi Arabia’s first state, the Emirate of Diriyah, in 1727 – a mere 295 years ag