How Ibn Saud Became a Romanticized Legend in the U.S., British and French Press (1920–1953)

Abstract

Despite the vast research on Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, the founder of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, there has been little attention given to the impact of his representation by the British, French and U.S. press in the first half of the twentieth century. The man who built the kingdom in line with his Islamic sect’s doctrine has been portrayed as a puritan reformer and a modernist, in sharp contrast with the negative representation of other Arabs who happened to be fighting against French and British domination of the region at the time. This research is important for our understanding of how media representation was both a catalyst that contributed to building a reputation and a destiny for Ibn Saud and Saudi Arabia, and also a tool in the hands of the great powers of the time. This study is based on a critical examination of news articles and features published by French, British and American journalists from 1920 until Ibn Saud’s death in 1953.