Not all great transformations shine with the clamor of celebrations. Some historical moments emerge in deep silence, under the cover of night, only to be written the next morning as a short message that over time becomes a great and inspiring story, preserved by history and illuminating the future. Among those rare moments is the recapture of Riyadh in 1902, as the founding moment of the modern Saudi state project—a moment that was not only preserved in the memory of the place but also recorded in the pages of Al-Ahram at the time, as it was the only newspaper to capture the event in its own time, before historians wrote about it.

In its issues from late 1901 and early 1902, we read the event as it took shape: a gradual news report, a monitored movement, and a rare letter from the hand of the leader himself. Here we do not read a complete history whose end is known, but rather the beginnings of a project whose dawn had not yet broken, whose sun had not yet risen, and whose scope had not yet become clear. This reading is based on a review of issues of Al-Ahram published between 1901 and 1903, the very issues that followed and chronicled the developments of events in Najd in their own time.

In a study by Dr. Masha'il bint Hamoud Al-Shaibib, published in the Journal of the Saudi Historical Society last June, we observe the 'Recapture of Riyadh' from a different window; it moves from traditional sources to the pages of Al-Ahram to trace the event as contemporaries saw it and as it was published at the time. The importance of this effort is highlighted by shedding light on journalistic material that remained outside the sphere of studies for decades, despite containing contemporary events and documents, most notably the letter of King Abdulaziz published immediately after the recapture of Riyadh.

Reading the issues before January 1902 reveals that the name of Al Saud was not absent. In issue No. 6964, published on Tuesday, February 12, 1901, the newspaper stated that 'the land of Najd and its dependencies' were under the command of Al Saud, inherited by them. This phrase is quoted verbatim as it appeared, without alteration, to preserve the contemporary journalistic phrasing of the event. The newspaper also recalled the biography of the previous imams as holders of extended legitimacy, indicating that the recapture of Riyadh was understood from the very first moment as the restoration of a prior political right, not a rootless beginning.

Al-Ahram's use of the phrase 'the land of Najd and its dependencies' in its news report of February 12, 1901, predates by more than two decades King Abdulaziz's official adoption of the title 'Sultan of Najd and its Dependencies' in 1922. This reference gains its importance from being included in contemporary journalistic discourse of the event, suggesting that the concept of 'dependencies' was present in the political and geographical perception related to the historical sphere of influence of Al Saud before it became an official political title. Consequently, this usage can be seen as an early reflection of Al-Ahram's understanding of the nature of the political sphere associated with Najd and its affiliated regions and zones of influence.

In its news report published on December 17, 1902, and in some subsequent reports, Al-Ahram used the description 'Abdulaziz Al-Saudi,' which is one of the earliest contemporary uses of the term 'Al-Saudi' as a relative designation with a political dimension, not merely a familial affiliation. The appellation appeared at a very early stage in the history of the modern Saudi state, before the term became common in its later political form, which gives the report particular value, especially in tracing the formation of political terminology related to the Saudi state, and highlights the rarity of this usage in contemporary sources from that period.

In this sense, the entry of King Abdulaziz into Riyadh was not presented as the adventure of a young ambitious man to recapture it, but as the return of a historical ruling dynasty to its center. In issue No. 7285, published on Thursday, March 5, 1902, the newspaper described Riyadh as 'usurped by Ibn Rashid' and noted its return to 'the lineage of the ancient princes of Najd.' These two phrases are quoted verbatim as they appeared in the newspaper's text. With this description, the event was not portrayed as the fall of a city into the hands of a new power, but as the restoration of a historical right. Here emerges the value of intelligent phrasing, mature future reading, and deep political insight into an event in the making. The greatest thing published by Al-Ahram in that period is the text of a letter sent by King Abdulaziz one day after the recapture of Riyadh. In issue No. 7279, published on Wednesday, February 26, 1902, we find neither a political speech nor a propaganda statement, but a precise operational narrative: moving by night, arriving 'at six o'clock at night,' entering a house near the garrison headquarters, waiting until 'two o'clock in the afternoon,' then rushing as the door opened, swift decisive action, and control of the palace. This chronological account from the leader himself gives us a rare picture of a conscious military mind controlling time, determining location, and establishing the result.

Then come the statistics: the number of rifles, swords, horses... which means a material consolidation of victory and confirmation of the transfer of the center of power. In an era when control over equipment meant possessing the ability to continue, mentioning these details becomes an announcement that the victory was born to last, not just a fleeting moment.

The importance of the letter lies not in its military details, but in its conclusion. King Abdulaziz moves from describing the action to the language of supplication, from statistics to seeking support, from decisiveness to hope for 'justice from their latter ones as we were granted justice from their former ones.' This phrase reveals intelligent awareness and deep planning that what was achieved is only the first stage; Riyadh is not the end of the stage, but its beginning... We continue next week.

Quoted from Al-Ahram

Advertisement

Advertisement

Disclaimer: All published articles represent the views of their authors only.