The First Saudi State: Foundation, Achievements, and End

The First Saudi State, also known as the “Emirate of Diriyah,” is considered the cornerstone in the history of the establishment of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This state emerged in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula and was marked by a period of expansion and religious and political reform.

The Establishment and Foundation in 1744

The beginning of the First Saudi State dates back to the historic alliance concluded in Diriyah in 1157 AH, corresponding to 1744 AD. This alliance brought together Prince Mohammed bin Saud bin Mohammed bin Muqrin, the then ruler of the Emirate of Diriyah, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Wahhab, the religious reformist preacher. The two parties agreed to work together to spread the Salafi reformist call advocated by Sheikh bin Abdul Wahhab, which focused on correcting the creed, unifying the worship of God, and avoiding innovations and polytheistic practices, while simultaneously uniting tribes and regions under a single political leadership led by the House of Saud in Diriyah, which became the capital of the nascent state.

Geographical Expansion and Growing Influence

Under the leadership of Imam Mohammed bin Saud and his successors—Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Saud and Imam Saud Al-Kabeer bin Abdulaziz—the First Saudi State witnessed tremendous expansion. Its influence extended across vast parts of the Arabian Peninsula, stretching from Najd through the regions of Hejaz, Hail, and Asir, reaching the outskirts of the Levant, Iraq, and the coasts of the Arabian Gulf. This expansion was achieved through a series of military campaigns and political efforts aimed at unifying territories and implementing state governance.

Administrative and Social System

The state was founded on legitimate principles derived from Islamic Sharia, with the Imam assuming religious, political, and military leadership while relying on scholars for judiciary and religious rulings. Its administration featured local governors (naibs) in subordinate regions operating under the Imam’s direct supervision. The state focused on implementing Sharia provisions, spreading security, protecting pilgrimage and trade routes, and advancing religious education, contributing to relative social and economic stability within its territories.

The End and Ottoman Intervention in 1818

The expansion of the First Saudi State and its growing influence alarmed the Ottoman Empire, which viewed it as a threat to its regional sovereignty and religious authority, especially after the Saudi state gained control of Hejaz. In response, the Ottomans dispatched a massive military campaign led by Ibrahim Pasha, son of Mohammed Ali Pasha, the governor of Egypt (then under Ottoman rule). The campaign lasted several years (1811–1818 AD) and was marked by extreme violence, culminating in a six-month siege of Diriyah. Diriyah fell in Safar 1233 AH, corresponding to December 1818 AD, after fierce resistance, and was nearly completely destroyed. Imam Abdullah bin Saud bin Abdulaziz (the last Imam of the First Saudi State) was captured, sent to Istanbul, and executed. Thus ended the First Saudi State after approximately 74 years of rule.
The Ottoman-Egyptian military campaign temporarily eliminated the political entity of the First Saudi State but failed to eradicate the support of Najd and central Arabia’s inhabitants for the Saudi state ideal and reformist call. This enduring loyalty paved the way for the emergence of the Second Saudi State a few years later, and ultimately the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by King Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud, who drew inspiration from his ancestors’ legacy and the First State’s principles. The founding of the First Saudi State in 1744 AD remains a landmark in the region’s history, having laid the religious, political, and social foundations for a unified Saudi state in later times.