Sultan bin Bajad Al-Otaibi
Quick Facts
Biography
Sultan bin Bajad bin Hameed Al-Otaibi (Arabic: سلطان بن بجاد بن حميد العتيبي) was a leader of the Ikhwan movement in Saudi Arabia. This movement was the virtual army that supported King Abdul-Aziz to build his kingdom between 1910 and 1927. Along with his colleague and friend Faisal Al-Dawish, he led the Arab tribal forces in the occupation of Al-Hasa, Ha'il, Al-Baha, Jizan, Asir and Mecca and Jeddah. He was illiterate and very religious—strongly believing in Salafi principles. He fought the enemies of the Saudi kings, while considering them infidels and disbelievers.
After the occupation of Hijaz, King Abdul-Aziz and several of the Ikhwan leaders went into bloody clashes, as Abdul Aziz wanted to stop incursions outside of Arabia and concentrate on building the foundations of a modern state. Al-Otaibi and his associates considered this a sin and challenged the agreements, made by Ibn Saud with the British and neighbouring powers. Bin Bajad entered into an open rebellion against Ibn Saud's forces and continued opposing him even after the major defeat of the rebel Ikhwan in the Battle of Sabilla.
Death
Sultan bin Bajad was eventually killed in Al Artaweeiyah in 1931.