Assassination of Imam Turki bin Abdullah Al Saud in Riyadh

Background. Turki bin Abdullah Al Saud founded the Second Saudi State by expelling Ottoman-Egyptian forces from Riyadh in 1824. He ruled for nineteen years, consolidating the area despite nominal control by the Viceroy of Egypt. His reign ended abruptly in 1834 when he was assassinated by order of Mishari bin Abdul Rahman, a distant cousin. This event triggered a succession crisis that reshaped the political landscape of Najd.

The Assassination. Turki was assassinated in 1834 in Riyadh, the capital he had established. The killing was carried out on the orders of Mishari bin Abdul Rahman, a relative within the ruling family. The sources do not record the precise day, the exact site within the city, or the circumstances of the attack, so those details remain unconfirmed.

Succession and Retribution. Following the assassination, Faisal bin Turki, Turki's eldest son, entered Riyadh. He executed the assassin Ibrahim Hamza and his master Mishari, who had been besieged in the city. Faisal then assumed control of the capital, refusing to be controlled by the Viceroy of Egypt. This marked the beginning of his first reign, which lasted until 1838.