Emirate of Diriyah: Map & History
The first Saudi state, officially the Emirate of Diriyah, was a polity that existed on the Arabian Peninsula between 1744 and 1818.
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The first Saudi state, officially the Emirate of Diriyah, was a polity that existed on the Arabian Peninsula between 1744 and 1818. The emir of a Najdi town called Diriyah, Muhammad bin Saud Al Muqrin, and the religious leader Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab signed a pact founding a socio-religious reform movement that propagated the Wahhabi religious doctrine under the political leadership of the House of Saud. They then proceeded to expand their state throughout the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, the coast of the Iranian city of Bandar Abbas, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Modern Countries Once Part of Emirate of Diriyah
At its mapped extent, Emirate of Diriyah covered territory in 5 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Qatar1791–1819 CE · nearly all
- Saudi Arabia1788–1819 CE · most
- United Arab Emirates1800–1819 CE · most
- Yemen1803–1813 CE · a large part
- Oman1811 CE · a small part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Emirate of Diriyah's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Emirate of Diriyah in Depth
History
The House of Saud and its allies quickly rose to become the dominant power in Arabia by first conquering Najd, and then expanding their influence over the eastern coast from Kuwait down to the northern borders of Oman. Saud's forces also captured the highlands of Asir, while Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab wrote letters to people and scholars to join the jihad. After many military campaigns, Muhammad bin Saud died in 1765, leaving the leadership to his son, Abdul-Aziz bin Muhammad, whose forces captured the Shia holy city of Karbala, in Ottoman Iraq, in 1801. Here they destroyed the shrine of the saints and monuments and killed over 5,000 civilians. In retribution, Abdulaziz was assassinated by a young Shia in 1803, having followed him back to Najd.
Muhammad bin Abd al-Wahhab died in 1792.
Legacy
In 2022, the Saudi government designated 1727, the year Muhammad I assumed leadership of the Sheikhdom of Diriyah, as the official beginning of the first Saudi state. They also designated February 22 as Saudi Founding Day, an annual holiday to celebrate the nation's founding.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: First Saudi state (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Emirate of Diriyah: Key Facts
| Capital | Diriyah |
|---|---|
| Official language | Arabic |
| Religion | Islam |
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Founded | 1744 |
| Dissolved | 9 September 1818 |
Preceded by
- Emirate of Diriyah
- Bani Khalid Emirate
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q146871 (CC0).
Emirate of Diriyah Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Emirate of Diriyah appears, with the other states of the time.
Emirate of Diriyah Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 2,281,666 km² in 1811 CE.
Emirate of Diriyah: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Emirate of Diriyah exist?
Emirate of Diriyah is dated to 1744 CE – 1819 CE, in the Early Modern & Age of Discovery era.
What was the capital of Emirate of Diriyah?
The capital of Emirate of Diriyah was Diriyah.
How large was Emirate of Diriyah at its peak?
At its peak in 1811 Emirate of Diriyah covered about 2,281,666 km².
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