Salman bin Abdul Aziz, 1935–, king of Saudi Arabia (2015–), b. Riyadh. Like his predecessor, King Abdullah, he is a son—by a different wife—of Saudi Arabia's founder, Ibn Saud. Salman served as governor of Riyadh (1955–60, 1963–2011), overseeing its growth from a midsize desert town into an international business and education center. In 2011 he was appointed defense minister, second deputy prime minister, and a member of the security council. As head of the Saudi military, he supported strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria in 2014. Salman became crown prince and first deputy prime minister in 2012, and he succeeded to the throne on Abdullah's death. In 2017, he made his son Mohammed, who was regarded as largely responsible for much government policy already, crown prince.
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