Saudi King Abdullah Dies, New Ruler is Salman

[CELTICEMPIRE]

From Yahoo News:

http://news.yahoo.com/saudi-tv-cuts-koranic-verses-often-signifies-royal-231552854.html

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has died, state television reported early on Friday and his brother Salman became king, it said in a statement attributed to Salman.

King Salman has called on the family's Allegiance Council to pay allegiance to Muqrin as his crown prince and heir.

"His Highness Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and all members of the family and the nation mourn the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who passed away at exactly 1 a.m. this morning," said the statement.

Abdullah, thought to have been born in 1923, had ruled Saudi Arabia as king since 2006, but had run the country as de facto regent for a decade before that after his predecessor King Fahd suffered a debilitating stroke...

 

[gay_Aleks]

Well, I can only hope smooth transition for the new King, and no pesky rebels that are supported by interested sides to ever appear. Or, alternatively, one of his brothers stabbing him in the middle of the night.

 

[bhsup]

How many people down the line of succession before the heir is younger than Joe Biden?

 

[CELTICEMPIRE]

Well, I can only hope smooth transition for the new King, and no pesky rebels that are supported by interested sides to ever appear. Or, alternatively, one of his brothers stabbing him in the middle of the night.

The Saudi regime seems to be pretty stable from what I understand. But apparently the new King probably has Alzheimer's.

 

[Antilogic]

I read rumors the Saudi king had medical problems, but they were fervently denied. It appears they were real and quite serious.

The next prince listed in that article was supposedly born in 1945 while Uncle Joe was born in 1942. However, the language in the article and on wikipedia indicates the actual royal birthdays are unknown.

 

[gay_Aleks]

Well, if he truly has Alzheimer, we can expect a Mysterious Chancellor doing all the business in the country, while the King is waving at crowds.

 

[FriendlyFire]

saruman ?

 

[gay_Aleks]

Salmon? The questions persist, but the answers are not here!

 

[Algeroth]

How there can be a smooth transition when tens of people have strong claims on his titles? Plus all the accumulated decadence....

 

[gay_Aleks]

Maybe with a regiment or two of US Marines?

 

[EgonSpengler]

This on the same day the government of Yemen collapsed. Sounds like the beginning of a Tom Clancy novel.

 

[Paul in Saudi]

I was here when his brother died. That happened during business hours. (Abdullah passed away in the middle of the night.) The Filipinos heard the news first, they gathered in little clumps in the office chatting among themselves. After thirty minutes rumors came by text message to the Saudis.

Not much really happened. We continued with work. At the end of the day, the military men gathered to take some sort of oath to the new King Abdullah. He raised the pay of government employees by 5% or something and cut the price of gas.

No tanks in the streets, no day off work, no excitement at all. In total it was not nearly as exciting as I had hoped. I was here when his brother died. That happened during business hours. The Filipinos heard the news first, they gathered in little clumps in the office chatting among themselves. After thirty minutes rumors came by text message to the Saudis.

Not much really happened. We continued with work. At the end of the day, the military men gathered to take some sort of oath to the new King Abdullah. He raised the pay of government employees by 5% or something and cut the price of gas.

No tanks in the streets, no day off work, no excitement at all. In total it was not nearly as exciting as I had hoped.

 

[Tee Kay]

the king is dead long live the king

 

[cybrxkhan]

The King was pretty old so this isn't really much a surprise.

I suppose in CKII terms Saudi Arabia currently has some sort of Seniority succession, right? How long until do they run out of brothers?

 

[luiz]

Anyone know the history / rationale of the throne going to the oldest living brother as opposed to the eldest son, Euro-style?

I guess this system has the upside of preventing child kings, but the downside is kings only ascend to the throne as old geezers.

 

[Kyriakos]

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King of the Andals, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and protector of the realm

 

[Tigranes]

cut the price of gas.

and cut the price of gas.

You mean one still has to pay for gas in SA?

 

[Antilogic]

The King was pretty old so this isn't really much a surprise.

I suppose in CKII terms Saudi Arabia currently has some sort of Seniority succession, right? How long until do they run out of brothers?

The wiki literally describes it as agnatic seniority, so that should be quite familiar to CKII players.

The current heir is the last of the old generation, at the age of 69.

 

[Paul in Saudi]

I pay sixty-five US cents a gallon. Venezuela has the world's cheapest gas at five US cents a gallon.

 

[Kyriakos]

I pay sixty-five US cents a gallon. Venezuela has the world's cheapest gas at five US cents a gallon.

Likely doesn't matter if the wages are also a tiny fraction of those in the US, and/or if essential food stuff cost a small fortune for most of the population.