King Faisal

The king who drove Saudi Arabia's modernization and led the oil embargo of 1973.

Life

Foreign minister

Faisal was a son of the founding monarch Ibn Saud; as a youth he visited Europe on his father's behalf, and he long served as foreign minister. In 1964 he replaced his elder brother King Saud on the throne.

Modernization

He pursued modernizing reforms: founding girls' schools, introducing television, abolishing slavery (announced in 1962 while he was Prime Minister), and drawing up development plans. During the Fourth Arab–Israeli War of 1973, he led the Arab oil-producing countries in an oil embargo against countries that supported Israel, triggering a worldwide oil crisis.

Oil embargo

In 1975 he was assassinated in the royal palace by his nephew.

Legacy

Faisal was a driving force behind Saudi modernization, and the 1973 oil embargo demonstrated the power of the oil-producing countries.

Did you know? The American magazine Time named him its Man of the Year for 1974.

Key dates

• 1932Became foreign minister
• 1962Becomes Prime Minister; announces the abolition of slavery
• 1964Accession
• 1973Leads the oil embargo
• 1975Assassinated