Saud bin Muhammad Al Muqrin

Saud bin Muhammad Al Muqrin^[a] (10 May 1640 – 11 June 1725), commonly known as Saud I, was the 13th emir of the Sheikhdom of Diriyah and the founder of the House of Saud. He was the father of Muhammad bin Saud, the 15th emir of Diriyah and founder of the First Saudi State.

Saud was descended from the Muqrin Branch of the House of Mani', whose earliest recorded ancestor was Mani' ibn Rabi'a al-Muraydi, who settled in Diriyah in 1446–1447 with his branch, the Mrudah.^[1] The Mrudah are believed to be descended from the Banu Hanifa branch of the Rabi'a tribal confederation.^[1]

The House of Saud originated as a leading family in the Sheikhdom of Diriyah, near the modern city of Riyadh in central Najd. In the early 16th century, Saud bin Muhammad’s ancestors took over some date groves—the main form of agriculture in the area—and settled there. Over time, the groves grew, and the branch became recognized as its leaders.^[2]

Saud had several sons: Muhammad,^[3] Thunayyan,^[4] Mishari, and Farhan.^[5]

Saud died in 1726 and was succeeded by his son Muhammad.^[3] One of Saud's brothers, Muqrin, was killed by Muhammad bin Saud, which caused an intrafamilial struggle and therefore, Zaid bin Farhan ('son of Farhan') found an opportunity to control the rule of Diriyah.^[6]

Two decades after Saud's death, his son Muhammad bin Saud made his historic pact with Muhammad bin Abd al-Wahhab, leading to their conquest of Arabia and the establishments of the First Saudi State.^[7] Sheikh Muhammad's patronymic "Ibn Saud" eventually gave the clan its name of Al Saud.

• First Saudi state
• Second Saudi state
• Third Saudi state
• Sheikhdom of Diriyah
• List of Saudi rulers
• History of Saudi Arabia