View source for Mishaal bin Saud Al Saud

{{Short description|Saudi royal, politician, businessman, and military officer (born 1940)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Family name hatnote|lang=Arabic|[[Al Saud]]}}
{{Infobox royalty
| full name       = Mishaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz
| succession      = Governor of [[Najran Province]]
| reign           = 1996 &ndash; November 2008
| reign-type      = In office
| reg-type        = Monarch
| regent          = {{ubl|[[Fahd of Saudi Arabia|Fahd]]|[[Abdullah of Saudi Arabia|Abdullah]]}}
| predecessor     = Fahd bin Khalid Al Sudairi
| successor       = [[Mishaal bin Abdullah Al Saud]]
| spouse          = Sara bint Faisal bin Turki Al Saud
| father          = [[Saud of Saudi Arabia]]
| mother          = Noura bint Nahar Al Mandeel
| birth_date      = {{Birth year and age|1940}}{{fact|date=May 2022}}
| birth_place     =
| house           = [[House of Saud|Al Saud]]
}}
{{Infobox hrhstyles
| image      = [[File:Emblem of Saudi Arabia.svg|55px]]
| royal name = Mishaal bin Saud bin Abdul Aziz al Saud
| dipstyle   = [[Royal Highness|His Royal Highness]]
| offstyle   = Your Royal Highness
}}
'''Mishaal bin Saud Al Saud''' ({{langx|ar|مشعل بن سعود آل سعود|Mishaʿal ibn Suʿūd Āl Suʿūd}}; born 1940){{citation needed|date=January 2016}} is a Saudi Arabian retired politician, businessman, and former military officer who served as the governor of the [[Najran Province]] from 1996 to 2008. He is a member of the [[House of Saud]].
==Early life==
Prince Mishaal is one of [[King Saud]]'s children.<ref name=ssabri>{{cite book|author=Sharaf Sabri|title=The House of Saud in commerce: A study of royal entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia|year=2001|publisher=I.S. Publications|page=42|location=New Delhi|isbn=81-901254-0-0
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=51Bb8Ix7xw8C&pg=PA42}}</ref> His mother is Noura bint Nahar Al Mandeel.<ref>{{cite web|title=Family. Meshaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud|url=http://www.kingsaud.org/family/meshaal-bin-saud-bin-abdulaziz-al-saud/154|access-date=14 December 2016
|publisher=King Saud Website}}</ref>
Prince Mishaal and his brother [[Abdul Rahman bin Saud Al Saud|Prince Abdul Rahman]] were the first sons of King Saud who declared their allegiance to [[Faisal of Saudi Arabia|King Faisal]] following the abdication of their father, King Saud, in November 1964.<ref name=gss>{{cite thesis|author=Gary Samuel Samore|title=Royal Family Politics in Saudi Arabia (1953-1982)|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/303295482
|location=Harvard University|page=236|year=1984|degree=PhD|id={{ProQuest|303295482}}}}</ref> Prince Mishaal announced his allegiance to the new king on 10 November 1964.<ref name=gss/><ref>{{cite journal|title=Chronology September 1, 1964-November 30, 1964|journal=[[The Middle East Journal]]|date=Winter 1965|volume=19|issue=1|page=84|jstor=4323816}}</ref>
==Career and official duties==
Mishaal bin Saud was a military officer. He served at the [[Saudi Arabian National Guard|national guard]] with the rank of [[brigade commander]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Simon Henderson|title=After King Fahd|work=Washington Institute|format=Policy Paper|access-date=16 August 2020|year=1994
|url=http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/uploads/Documents/pubs/PP_37_AFTERKINGFAHD.pdf|archive-date=17 May 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517194450/http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/uploads/Documents/pubs/PP_37_AFTERKINGFAHD.pdf}}</ref> He successfully led a national guard unit that was among the first sent to defend the northern border during the [[Gulf War]] in 1991. His military expertise provided him with an opportunity to hold the position in the Najran Province as governor.<ref name=wikileaks2001>{{cite web|title=Cable Reference İD: #08RIYADH1748|url=http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=08RIYADH1748|work=Wikileaks|access-date=20 April 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130221133014/http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=08RIYADH1748|url-status=dead
|archive-date=21 February 2013|date=24 November 2008}}</ref>
Prince Mishaal was one of the members of Al Saud Family Council established by Crown Prince Abdullah in June 2000 to discuss private issues such as business activities of princes and marriages of princess to individuals who were not member of House of Saud.<ref name=simonhen>{{cite journal|author=Simon Henderson|date=August 2009|title=After King Abdullah. Succession in Saudi Arabia|journal=Policy Focus|volume=96
|url=http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/uploads/Documents/pubs/PolicyFocus96_Henderson.pdf|access-date=16 August 2020|archive-date=15 February 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215194828/http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/uploads/Documents/pubs/PolicyFocus96_Henderson.pdf}}</ref> He represented his older brother [[Muhammed bin Saud Al Saud|Muhammed bin Saud]] in the council.<ref name=simonhen/>
Prince Mishaal is the chairman of the company named Tourism Enterprises.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mishaal Saud Abdulaziz|work=Dhownet |url=https://dhow.com/biographies/25/mishal-saud-abdulaziz-aal-saud/|accessdate=12 November 2020}}</ref>
===Governorship===
Mishaal bin Saud was made governor of the Najran Province in 1996.<ref>{{cite news|title=First Pro-Independence Armed Movement Emerges in Saudi Najran|url=https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2015/06/19/775131/first-pro-independence-armed-movement-emerges-in-saudi-najran|access-date=28 May 2022|work=Tasnim News|date=19 June 2015}}</ref> He replaced Fahd bin Khalid Al Sudairi in the post and became the first governor of the province from Al Saud family.<ref name=ism/> Najran Province is border-area with Yemen. Therefore, the possibility of terror cells crossing from Yemen into Saudi Arabia is a serious threat.<ref name=wikileaks2001/> Tensions among the [[Ismailism|Ismaili]] community remained high since Prince Mishaal's arrival as governor, leading to major protests in 2000. Ismailis accused the local government of harassment, discrimination and [[arbitrary arrest and detention]]. As a result, activists from Najran petitioned [[Abdullah of Saudi Arabia|King Abdullah]] to remove Prince Mishaal. To succeed, Mishaal bin Saud must be able to govern the local Ismaili population and maintain stability. However, Najran Province became the scene of violent clashes in 2000 when hundreds of Ismailis clashed with police.<ref>{{cite news|title=Saudi unrest blamed on 'sorcerer'
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/725597.stm|access-date=28 May 2022|work=BBC|date=25 April 2000}}</ref> Ismailis told that it was the spur for plans to reduce their presence in the province, but that the settlement policy could provoke more social unrest.<ref name=middleast>{{cite news|title=Saudi Shiites fear demographic balance change|url=http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=24403|access-date=20 April 2012|work=Middle East|date=18 February 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214030/http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=24403|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 23 April 2000, three months after the authorities closed down their mosques on the Ismaili day of [[Eid al Fitr]], strained relations between Ismaili Najranis and the governor, Mishaal bin Saud, came to a head over the arrest of an Ismaili cleric.<ref name=ism>{{cite web|title=The Ismailis of Najran|work=Human Rights Watch|access-date=16 April 2012
|url=https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/saudiarabia0908web.pdf|date=September 2008}}</ref>
Saudi Shiites asked the authorities to decline the settlement plans of [[Sunni]] Muslim Yemenis in southern Saudi Arabia to change the demographic balance in favor of Sunnis, although they are the majority. The Ismaili Shiites of Najran said they had petitioned King Abdullah in 2006 to halt settlement of up to 10,000 Yemeni tribesmen in housing projects built for them on the surrounding area of Najran city.<ref name=middleast/>
A protest letter sent in January 2008 to the Governor Mishaal bin Saud complained of marginalisation and said plans to settle another Yemeni tribe must stop. "We received assurances that some issues might be resolved, but others will take time," said Mohammed Al Askar, an Ismaili activist involved in drawing up the petition.<ref name=middleast/>
Prince Mishaal's term was last renewed in April 2005. On 4 November 2008, King Abdullah issued a royal decree relieving Mishaal bin Saud from his duties as governor reportedly at his own request.<ref name=memridec08>{{cite web|author=Y. Admon|title=Recent Rise in Sunni–Shi'ite Tension (Part III): Sectarian Strife in Saudi Arabia|url=http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/3143.htm|work=MEMRI|access-date=27 May 2012
|format=Inquiry and Analysis Series Report No.482|date=16 December 2008}}</ref> However, it was commonly believed that he was removed from office for his inability to maintain positive relations with the Ismaili community.<ref name=wikileaks2001/>
In other words, Mishaal bin Saud was relieved of his duties in November 2008 partly due to his inability to eliminate or at least, reduce tensions among the Ismailis in the province. On the other hand, as a result of increased violence across the border in Yemen as well as tensions between the Yemeni and Saudi governments, a secure and  stable Najran province is all the more critical to the Kingdom. Mishaal ruled the province during a time of rapid deterioration in the  relationship between the majority Ismaili residents and the provincial authorities.<ref>{{cite news|author=Rob Morris|title=King Abdullah fires Najran governor: HRW|url=http://www.arabianbusiness.com/king-abdullah-fires-najran-governor-hrw-41591.html|access-date=19 April 2012|work=Arabian Business|date=23 December 2008}}</ref> Eventually, [[Mishaal bin Abdullah Al Saud]], son of King Abdullah, replaced him as the governor of the province in March 2009.<ref>{{cite book|author=Leonard A. Leo|page=126
|location=Washington, DC|title=International Religious Freedom (2010): Annual Report to Congress|publisher=DIANE Publishing|isbn=978-1-4379-4439-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eYSA2uew3CUC&pg=PA126}}</ref>
==Personal life==
[[File:Faisal bin Meshal.JPG|thumb|[[Faisal bin Mishaal Al Saud|Faisal bin Mishaal]], the eldest son of Prince Mishaal bin Saud]]
Mishaal bin Saud is son-in-law of [[Sultan bin Abdulaziz]].<ref name=wikileaks2001/> He also married Princess Sara who is his first cousin once removed and a daughter of [[Faisal bin Turki I bin Abdulaziz Al Saud|Faisal bin Turki]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Palace of Princess Sara bint Faisal bin Turki Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (SA) |url=https://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/palace-of-princess-sara-bint-faisal-bin-turki/view/google/
|work=Virtual Globetrotting|date=29 March 2014|access-date=12 July 2020}}</ref> He has six children, five sons and a daughter.
* Prince [[Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud|Faisal bin Mishaal]]
* Prince Khalid
* Princess Lamia who married Prince [[Ahmed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud|Ahmed bin Salman]] in 1986.<ref name=etab>{{cite news|author=Etab Noor|title=Prince Ahmad: A force behind Arab media|access-date=9 August 2013|newspaper=Arab News|url=http://www.arabnews.com/news/460535
|date=7 August 2013|location=Riyadh}}</ref> She has four daughters and a son.<ref name=etab/>
* Prince Nawaf
* Prince Abdulaziz
* Prince Fahd who is the chairman of Saudi Aviation Association since March 2018 and also, of the GCC Aviation Association.<ref>{{cite news
|title=Prince Fahad bin Mishaal bin Saud, president of the Saudi Aviation Association|access-date=13 August 2020|work=Arab News|date=2 January 2020|url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1607186/saudi-arabia}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saud, Mishaal Saud}}
[[Category:20th-century Saudi Arabian businesspeople|Mishaal]]
[[Category:20th-century Saudi Arabian military personnel|Mishaal]]
[[Category:20th-century Saudi Arabian politicians|Mishaal]]
[[Category:21st-century Saudi Arabian businesspeople|Mishaal]]
[[Category:21st-century Saudi Arabian politicians|Mishaal]]
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:Governors of provinces of Saudi Arabia|Mishaal]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sons of Saud of Saudi Arabia|Mishaal]]