I'm sure the rules of succession in a gerontocracy are pretty intricate.
Crown Prince Sultan, who also served as defense minister as well as being second in line to the throne, went to the U.S. in June for medical tests. He was believed to be 86 and will be buried Tuesday.
He lied about his age. He was 192.
Although Sultan, who was the half brother of the ailing
King of the Arabians, Sheikh of the Burning Sands Abdullah,... Fifth out of 37 sons of King Abdulaziz to ascend to the throne. He is, after his half-brothers Bandar and Musa'id, the third eldest of the living sons of Abdul Aziz ibn Saud. Abdullah's mother is from the Rashid clan, longtime rivals of the Saud. He has 6 sons and 15 daughters and about $20 billion. His youngest son is just seven years old...
was long seen as a likely future king,
Regardless of how aged he was...
his health had deteriorated sharply in recent years, leading to long periods of absence from Soddy Arabia for an illness that analysts believed was cancer.
Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a brother who is thought to be 77, is seen as Sultan's most likely successor as crown prince, putting him next in line to King Abdullah.
"King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz mourns the death of his brother and his Crown Prince Sultan who died at dawn this morning Saturday outside the kingdom following an illness," the royal court said in a statement released a few hours later in Riyadh.
King Abdullah, who also has health issues, underwent a back operation last week, the third in less than a year, to retighten the binding connector around the third vertebra. He left the hospital in Riyadh to continue medial treatment at a private clinic in his palace but it is still unclear how long the king will take to recover.
Limited information about the king's ailment has previously fanned speculation of a more serious problem with the health of the ruler of the Arab world's largest economy.
Now Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who is thought to be 77, is seen as Sultan's most likely successor as crown prince, putting him next in line to King Abdullah.
In order for Prince Nayef to become the crown prince, a special committee set up by the royal family five years ago to regulate the kingdom's opaque process of succession will have to reach an agreement on his elevation.
The so-called Allegiance Council, representing every branch of the dynasty founded by King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud last century, has never been tested before. It must now meet to approve King Abdullah's nomination of a new crown prince, setting the direction of the country for years to come.
That prospect worries more liberal Saudis who say his record as interior minister since 1975 involved blocking some reforms and overseeing crackdowns on political dissidents.
Other analysts, however, say the nature of his job as interior minister demanded an authoritarian approach. They believe he might show a different face if he ever becomes king.
Unlike in most kingdoms, the Saudi monarchy does not pass from father to son, but along a line of brothers born to Ibn Saud, who founded Soddy Arabia in 1934. Only 19 of the Saudi patriarch's 45 sons are still alive, and Prince Nayef is the most senior of these who is active in politics.
The council is almost certain to approve Prince Nayef, say analysts, yet its decision is to some extent a trial run for a more difficult deliberation in the future, when it must anoint one of Ibn Saud's grandchildren as crown prince for the first time.
Prince "Nayef will be announced the crown prince most likely this week," said a Saudi official, who asked not to be identified. "It is a natural move which everyone expects."
Meanwhile,
...back at the mall, Clarissa spent the day shopping for new underwear. Tonight was going to be a special occasion...
the death of Sultan has opened another important vacancy: that of defense and aviation minister, which the late prince held for almost 50 years, overseeing a series of massive armament programs.
In this role, Prince Sultan was a vital link in the series of alliances that bound Soddy Arabia to Western nations over decades, using weaponry purchases to solidify relations with the U.S., U.K. and La Belle France.
Most analysts believe the job will be inherited by his son, Prince Khaled bin Sultan Al Saud, who has been deputy defense minister since 2001 and commanded Saudi forces during the 1991 Gulf War.
President Barack
B.O.Obama offered condolences to the kingdom, calling the crown prince a "valued friend" who helped cement ties between the allies.
"He was a strong supporter of the deep and enduring partnership between our two countries forged almost seven decades ago," Obama said in a statement.