In 1932, Saudi Arabia was established by King Abd al-Aziz and has been ruled by the Saud clan ever since. On the demise of the King, the Crown Prince assumes the throne, with a new Crown Prince traditionally appointed among the sons of Ibn Saud. In 1954 the eldest brother, Saud, became King but it soon became apparent that he was unfit to serve. However, he did not want to go willingly, which led to considerable friction in the royal family. In 1964, after years of palace intrigue, Crown Prince Faisal was officially named King of Saudi Arabia, as Saud was sent into exile.
(The current King Salman succeeded King Abdullah on his death on January 23, 2015. Prince Muqrin became Crown Prince and Muhammad bin Nayef became Deputy Crown Prince. Mugrin is the youngest surviving son of Ibn Saud, while Muhammad is the first grandson of Ibn Saud to be officially placed into the line of succession, which was based on merit. The Allegiance Council was created in 2006 to facilitate the royal transfer of power.)
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