Abdullah bin 'Abd al-'Aziz (1924–2015) was an unlikely contender for the Saudi throne. His kinship ties within the royal family were weak. Yet he rose to power, finally becoming king in 2005. His main instrument was the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG), which he took over in 1963, transforming it into a personal power base and a cornerstone of regime security. This book offers the first comprehensive history of SANG, using Abdullah's little-studied trajectory to illuminate how power functions in Saudi Arabia.
Tracing SANG's evolution from tribal roots to the present, Joshua Teitelbaum explores the enduring role of tribal values—especially kinship—in shaping Saudi society and the modern state. He shows how Abdullah compensated for his weak lineage through patronage and kickback schemes. Drawing on newly declassified archival documents and Arabic-language sources, Teitelbaum also uncovers rival royal kinship networks and an American intelligence-business network that challenged Abdullah and SANG. The narrative concludes with Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, whose rule continues this kinship-based network system with a new network of his own. Ultimately, this book reveals how kinship and patronage underpin Saudi governance, providing key insight into one of the world's most opaque and strategically vital monarchies.