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A biography of the third Saudi king of the third dynasty, Faisal ibn Abdulaziz Al-Saud [r. 1963–1975], this book was written at the beginning of Faisal’s formal reign as king, covering the period preceding Faisal’s birth up through 1965. The work provides significant coverage not only of Faisal’s personal history, but also of the development of the political arena of the Persian Gulf region as a focus of both Cold War and inter-Arab rivalries, making the book of interest to historians, policymakers, scholars, and students of the Middle East. The early years of King Abdulaziz’s reign and the conquest and consolidation of the kingdom, particularly the Hijaz region, are used as the backdrop against which Faisal was raised, describing his upbringing and extensive experience in foreign affairs, beginning at the age of fourteen. Detailed coverage of Faisal’s growing experience in both domestic and international affairs, ranging …