The Saudi dynasty's foundation in central Arabia dates back to 1727. A pivotal moment occurred in 1744 when Muhammad ibn Saud, the tribal leader of Ad-Dir'iyyah near Riyadh, formed an alliance with Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab,^[15] the founder of the Wahhabi movement.^[16] This alliance in the 18th century provided a religious and ideological basis for Saudi expansion and continues to underpin Saudi Arabian dynastic rule.

The First Saudi State, established in 1727 around Riyadh, expanded rapidly. Between 1806 and 1815, it conquered much of what is now Saudi Arabia, including Mecca in 1806^[17] and Medina in April 1804.^[18] However, the growing power of the Saudis alarmed the Ottoman Empire. Sultan Mustafa IV directed his viceroy in Egypt, Mohammed Ali Pasha, to retake the region. Ali's sons, Tusun Pasha and Ibrahim Pasha, successfully defeated the Saudi forces in 1818, significantly diminishing the Al Saud's power.^[19]