He is credited for having introduced the Basic Law of Saudi Arabia in 1992.
Upon the death of King Khalid in 1982, Fahd ascended to the throne. Fahd was viewed as the de facto leader of the country during King Khalid's reign in part due to the latter's ill health. He was appointed crown prince when his half-brother Khalid became king following the assassination of King Faisal in 1975. Afterwards he was minister of interior from 1962 to 1975, at the end of King Saud's reign and throughout King Faisal's reign. He served as minister of education from 1953 to 1962 during the reign of King Saud. He was the eighth son of King Abdulaziz, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia.įahd was the eldest of the Sudairi Seven, the sons of King Abdulaziz by Hassa bint Ahmed Al Sudairi. Prior to his ascension, he was Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia from 1975 to 1982. Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud ( Arabic: فهد بن عبد العزيز آل سعود, romanized: Fahd bin ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Suʿūd 1920, 1921 or 1923 – 1 August 2005) was King and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia from 13 June 1982 until his death in 2005.