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King Saud

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Monarch

The Resume

    (January 15, 1902-February 23, 1969)
    Born in Kuwait City, Kuwait
    Second-oldest son of King Ibn-Saud
    Named Crown Prince (1933)
    King of Saudi Arabia (1953-64)
    Forced to abdicate in favor of his younger half-brother Faisal (November 2, 1964)
    Died in Athens, Greece

Why he might be annoying:

    He married his older brother's widow.
    Despite growing oil revenue, he managed to double the national debt with lavish spending on palaces and his family.
    He was wildly inconsistent in his foreign policy.
    He went from supporting Egypt during the Suez crisis to sponsoring an assassination attempt against President Gamal Abdel Nassar.
    He started off opposing the pro-British monarchies in Iraq and Jordan, but later sent annual subsidies of £500,000 to prop them up.
    He was an alcoholic, despite liquor being forbidden by Islam.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He went on his first diplomatic mission at age 13, leading a delegation to Qatar.
    He founded Riyadh University (later renamed King Saud University), the first university in Saudi Arabia not dedicated solely to religious subjects (1957).
    He let the US establish a military base in Saudi Arabia (in return for $180 million in foreign aid).
    Offered a chance to remain on the throne as a figurehead, he replied, 'I am not Queen Elizabeth. Arabian kings are kings or nothing.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 90 Votes: 57.78% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 42 Votes: 40.48% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 43 Votes: 46.51% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 59 Votes: 45.76% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 51 Votes: 52.94% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 74 Votes: 55.41% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 22 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 8 Votes: 37.50% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 78 Votes: 56.41% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 19 Votes: 52.63% Annoying