Muhammed bin Saud Al Saud

Mohammad bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (21 March 1934 – 8 July 2012) was a member of the House of Saud. He was the only son of King Saud to hold high office after his father's deposition. Later, another son of King Saud, Mishaal bin Saud, became the governor of Najran Province.

Prince Muhammed was born on 21 March 1934. He was the third son of King Saud. His mother is Arrazeqi Al Almaei.

During the reign of his father, King Saud, Prince Muhammed held many governmental positions. He began his service as the chief of the Royal Court. Then he appointed the Saudi Royal Guard Regiment in 1953. Later, he was appointed the minister of defense and inspector general in December 1960 succeeding his brother Fahd bin Saud in the post. His tenure ended on 31 October 1962. Prince Muhammed served as the deputy governor of the Al Bahah province until 1987. Next, he served as the governor of this province from September 1987 to 2010. He resigned from his post due to health-problems. His brother Mishari bin Saud replaced him in the post in 2010.

Political rehabilitation

Prince Muhammed was among King Saud's most important supporters during the latter's reign. Following a power struggle with his half-brother, then-Crown Prince Faisal, King Saud was deposed and forced into exile. In November 1964, Prince Muhammad pledged his allegiance to King Faisal. He was the first of the King Saud's sons to do so, reportedly because he was married to one of King Faisal’s daughters, Princess Sara. Since being rehabilitated in the mid-1960s, he held several important positions.

Muhammed bin Saud was a member of the Allegiance Council from 2007 to his death on 8 July 2012. He was also a member of King Saud Foundation based in Jeddah. He had various business activities.

Muhammed bin Saud had three wives. One of his spouses was Sara bint Faisal, a daughter of late King Faisal. Prince Muhammed had four children: Prince Faisal (born 11 September 1951), Prince Khalid, Prince Mishaal (born 24 August 1956) and Princess Noura. Faisal bin Muhammed received a PhD degree. He was appointed the deputy governor of Al Bahah province on 31 October 1988.

On 8 July 2012, the Saudi Royal Court announced Prince Muhammed bin Saud had died abroad. He was 78. Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz performed funeral prayer for him after Maghrib (sunset) prayer on 10 July 2012 at Imam Turki bin Abdullah mosque in Riyadh. Sheikh Abdallah bin Abdulaziz Al Shaykh led the funeral prayer as Imam.