Part 8/11:
The fall of the Ottoman Empire at the close of World War I created a vacuum of power that the Al Saud family, reestablished by Abd el Aziz Ibn Saud, swiftly filled. In 1932, he proclaimed Saudi Arabia officially, linking himself to the legacy of his forefathers and continue to center the nation’s identity around religious values. However, it was the discovery of oil in 1938 that catapulted Saudi Arabia into global importance, transforming its economic landscape and political influence.