Khalid bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud (1912-1982) was Saudi Arabia's fourth king, reigning from 1975 to 1982. Like his brother, King Faisal, whom he succeeded to the throne, Khalid was most at home in the desert. His prior government service included positions as Governor of the Hijaz (from 1932 to 1934) and Minister of the Interior, starting in 1934.

The Al-Saud Royal Family

The stability of Saudi Arabia derives largely from its ruling Al-Saud family. Although outsiders have no way of knowing how large the family actually is, estimates have placed its size at between five and eight thousand adults. The size and wealth of the Al-Saud family have created a system of family politics quite unlike any previously known.

The modern history of Saudi Arabia dates to 1747 when Muhammad Bin Saud, who ruled the Arabian peninsula, allied himself with the Muslim scholar Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab to found the modern state. For most...