Iffat Al Thunayan, spouse of the late King Faysal bin Abdul Aziz Al
Saud (r. 19641975), was a pillar of the ruling Al Saud family. Born
and raised in Istanbul to an uprooted Saudi family, she returned to
the Kingdom in 1932, a few months before the founder ruler, Abdul
Aziz bin Abdul Rahman, reinstituted the monarchy. Iffat used her
influence to infiltrate many progressive ideas into the Kingdom,
including significant strides in education for both boys and girls
as well as major advances in health care. An astute observer and a
doer par excellence, Queen Iffat left her mark on the contemporary
history of the Al Saud, as she protected and empowered her kin. She
raised a formidable family, listened carefully, guided
conversations as necessary, spoke with moderation, recommended
policies to her husband and, after the latter was assassinated, to
her brothers-in-law who succeeded him. A politically conscious
spouse, Queen Iffat played the leading role in Saudi female
society, attended many state functions, and received female state
guests. She traveled extensively, especially in Europe and the
United States, supported myriad charities, and cajoled many to
invest in the Kingdom. Universally respected, many people sought
her advice for she shared her ambitions and ideas to benefit the
entire country. Based on multiple interviews conducted with members
of the al-Faysal family, friends, and acquaintances of the late
Queen, Joseph A. Kechichian offers the first political biography of
a Saudi monarch's spouse. This work is an important resource for
social scientists and political analysts, and of interest to all
who wish to learn about Arab women in general, and Saudi women in
particular.
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