Saudi Crown Prince Once Kissed Hand of Royal Relative Who Could Face Death

Mohammed bin Salman, (MBS) then newly appointed as crown prince, left, kisses the hand of Prince Mohammed bin Nayef at a royal palace in Mecca, Saudi Arabia in 2017. Mohammed bin Nayef has been accused of treason. File photo: AFPMohammed bin Salman, (MBS) then newly appointed as crown prince, left, kisses the hand of Prince Mohammed bin Nayef at a royal palace in Mecca, Saudi Arabia in 2017. Mohammed bin Nayef has been accused of treason. File photo: AFP

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s swoop against potential royal challengers shows his concerns about his grip on power outweigh the risk of unnerving investors already wary of his brazen tactics.

The kingdom’s de facto ruler, who’s aggressively changed social norms despite possible backlash, has big plans to transform his country into a modern powerhouse. The arrests on treason allegations that could carry the death penalty – unprecedented against such senior relatives – suggest he’s not going to let anything get in his way, especially not his own family.

Authorities on Friday rounded up the brother and a nephew of Prince Mohammed’s father, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, on the grounds they were plotting a coup, according to a person familiar with the matter. The crackdown comes as the kingdom faces an economic downturn that could imperil progress on the prince’s ambitious plans. “So much of what happens under MBS’s leadership is based on the element of surprise, of shifting balance, and claiming control,” said Karen Young, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington. “But the biggest threat to Saudi right now is the possibility of very low oil prices, back to 2015 or lower levels. This the crown prince will find harder to control.”

Mild compared to Ottoman practice of fratricide:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fratricide#Ottoman_Empire
[The practice of fratricide was legalized by Mehmed II. Mehmed II grandfather Mehmed I had to fight a long civil war against his brothers Suleyman, Isa, and Musa. The civil war lasted eight years and weakened the empire due the deaths of soldiers and lack of unity that followed. As a result, Mehmed II formally legalized the practice of fratricide in order to preserve the state and not further place strain on the unity as previous civil wars did. Mehmed II states, “”Any of my sons ascend the throne, it acceptable for him to kill his brothers for the common benefit of the people (nizam-i alem). The majority of the ulama (Muslim scholars) have approved this; let action be taken accordingly.” When Mehmed II passed away his son Selim immediately assumed the throne and proceeded to commit fratricide on his two brothers Ahmed and Korkut. The largest practice of fratricide was committed by Mehmed III when he had nineteen of his brothers and half-brothers murdered and buried alongside their father. His successor Ahmed I when faced with public disapproval for the practice of fratricide decided to outlaw the practice and replace it with seniority ascension system along with imprisonment of any prince who would be a possible threat to the throne in the Kafes. ]

If you looked into what the Kings and Queens of Great Britain did to relatives they to eliminate well into the 19th Century,

Which incident in the 19th century are you referring to?

By the way, MBS isn't a king or a queen.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.