Faisal bin Turki bi Abdullah Al Saud, his power now an acknowledged factor in Arabian politics, has named his oldest son, Abdallah, the designated heir and chief military commander while sending his second son, Saud, to al-Kharj in southern Najd as governor, partly to reduce the developing friction between the two brothers.

However, Saud has proved outstandingly successful and his reputation had soon eclipsed that of his brother, whose claim to the succession is not validated by any great success or ability in politics, whereas Saud has developed a strong power base in the area of al-Kharj and a following among the Ajman tribe of his mother.

The mother of Saud and his much younger full-brother Abdul-Rahman are part of the Ajman, a Bedouin tribe inhabiting the desert to the southeast of Riyadh.

The mother of Saud’s half-brothers, Abdullah and Muhammad, comes from the Saud family.

Faisal, having governed with great success until his death in 1865, is succeeded by his eldest son as Abdallah II, but the new ruler is immediately challenged by the ambitious Saud, who has left Riyadh and gathered supporters among the tribes of al-Hasa in the east.

Infighting among Faisal’s four sons will eventually destroy the Second Saudi State.