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52-643: The Turaif district , the first capital of Saudis in Diriyah, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. The layout of the city itself can be studied in the National Museum of Saudi Arabia with the help of a large-scale detailed model of the city on display there. Diriyah also hosts the Diriyah ePrix race for the Formula E championship. The ruins of the old city of Diriyah lay on either side of

104-500: A World Heritage Site, but unknown to most, into an international tourist destination. There are some Historic palaces and monuments in At-Turaif district include: In December 2018, Saudi Arabia launched a restoration program for At-Turaif historic district aimed at documenting the archaeological sites of the district and transforming it into an open museum. The project comes as part of Saudi's tourism plan that aims at increasing

156-553: A conflict with Ottomans, as classical Wahhabi doctrines did not view the establishment of caliphate as a necessity upon individual Muslims. Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab was rather alarmed by the erosion of religious morality in neighboring Ottoman vilayets and found fault with the administrative functioning of the Ottoman empire , which he criticized for not properly enforcing Shari'ah (Islamic law) in its territories. The Wahhabis offered an alternative religious and political model to that of

208-528: A more wretched state than at any prior period since the establishment of the power of the Wahabees. Their walls, the chief security for their property, had been razed ... The year's crop had been consumed by the Turkish force" Saudi ruler 'Abdullah ibn Saud was transported first to Cairo and then to Istanbul , wherein he was beheaded alongside several other Wahhabi Imams . Other than 'Abdullah, most of

260-413: A new visitors center as well as a documentation center. Four new museums are planned for the district. Additionally, a Turaif traditional market will add to the open-air museum experience. The Saudi government undertook a large scale renovation of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab 's domain, turning it into a major tourist attraction. The old city's historic structures include: A number of the palaces in

312-718: A peace settlement which was to last for six years. However, the peace would be broken in 1801, when a caravan of pilgrims protected by a Saudi convoy was plundered near Hail ; upon orders from the Mamluk administration in Baghdad . This attack would completely break down the already deteriorating Saudi-Ottoman diplomatic relations, and the Emirate of Dirʿiyya sent a large-scale expedition towards Iraq . In 1802, 12,000 Wahhabis sacked Karbala in Iraq killing up to 5,000 people and plundering

364-512: A war of extermination between 1816 and 1818, the invading armies pillaged various towns and villages, forcing the inhabitants to flee and seek refuge in remote regions and oases. By 1817, the armies had overrun Rass , Buraida and Unayza . Saudi armies put up a fierce resistance at Al-Rass where they withstood a siege of 3 months. Faced with the advance of Egyptian Ottomans, Abdullah, the Saudi Emir retreated to Diriya. The Ottomans began

416-561: Is regarded as one of the more important political and historical sites in Saudi Arabia , as it represented the capital of Saudi dynasty. It was the original home of the Saudi royal family and was the country's first capital from 1727 until Ottoman control of the area in 1818. At-Turaif District was founded in the 15th century bearing the Najdi architectural style ; this historical site

468-511: Is said to have been a relative of Mani' Al-Mraydi, and Mani's clan is believed to have left the area of Wadi Hanifa at some unknown date and were merely returning to their country of origin. Initially, Mani' and his clan, known as the Mrudah , settled in Ghusaybah ( الغصيبة ) and Al-Mulaybeed ( المليبيد ). The entire settlement was named Al-Dir'iyah, after Mani's benefactor Ibn Dir'. Later on,

520-624: The Destruction of Diriyya , Ibrahim Pasha rounded up the prominent survivors of the Saudi family and the scholarly Al ash-Sheikh many of whom were deported to Egypt. As per Ottoman estimates, over 250 members related to the Saudi family and 32 members related to the Al ash-Sheikh were exiled. Ottomans were far harsher with the religious leaders that inspired the Wahhabi movement , than with the members of

572-642: The Emirate of Diriyah and Ottoman Empire. In the ensuing conflict, the Wahhabis had controlled Mecca and Medina by 1805. The Saudi emir denounced the Ottoman sultan and called into question the validity of his claim to be caliph and guardian of the sanctuaries of the Hejaz . The Wahhabis also attacked Ottoman trade caravans which interrupted Ottoman finances. In response, the Ottoman sultan, Mahmud II , ordered Muhammad 'Ali , governor of Egypt, to attack

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624-597: The Imam Husayn shrine . Saudi forces led by 'Abd al Aziz entered Mecca in 1803 after defeating Ghalib. The assassination in November 1803 of Saudi Emir 'Abd al-'Aziz during prayers in al-Dir'iyya by an Iraqi; was suspected of being orchestrated by the Mamluk governor of Baghdad , which greatly deteriorated the Saudi-Ottoman relations. Ghalib had worked hard to dampen the prospects of reconciliation between

676-751: The Najd Expedition in 1818, involving a series of military conflicts. En route to Dariyya, the Ottoman armies executed everyone over ten years age in Dhurma . Ibrahim's forces would march towards Diriyya during the early months of 1818, easily routing Saudi resistances and arrive at the capital by April 1818. The Siege of Diriyah would last until September 1818, with the Ottoman forces waiting for Saudi supplies to run out. On 11 September 1818, Abdullah Ibn Saud would sue for peace, offering his surrender, in exchange for sparing Diriyya. However, Al Diriyya would be razed to ground under orders of Ibrahim Pasha. It

728-631: The Ottoman Empire , its vassal the Eyalet of Egypt , and the Emirate of Diriyah , the First Saudi State, resulting in the destruction of the latter. The war is also referred to by several other names, such as the "Ottoman-Wahhabi War", "Egyptian-Wahhabi war", "Egyptian-Saudi war", "Ottoman/Egyptian-Wahhabi war", etc. Although Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, the leader of the Wahhabi movement , had indirectly expressed critiques on

780-465: The Ottoman dynasty in his letters, he had decided not to publicly challenge the legitimacy of the empire as a precautionary measure. Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab did not acknowledge their caliphate claims, an assertion made by Sultan Abdul Hamid I after Ottoman defeat in the 1770s Russo-Turkish War , to portray himself as the leader of Muslim world . However, this did not imply that Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab sought

832-589: The Saudi family . Prominent scholars such as the Qadi of Dir'iyya , Sulayman ibn 'Abd Allah (the grandson of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab ) were tortured, forced to listen to guitar (knowing the Najdi prescriptions and customs that prohibited music) and executed by a firing-squad. Other ulema such as Abd Allah ibn Muhammad Aal Al-Shaikh and his nephew Abd al Rahman ibn Hasan Aal Al-Shaikh would be exiled to Egypt. (the latter would return to Najd in 1825, to revive and lead

884-573: The Second Saudi State with Riyadh as its capital. Following the fall of Emirate of Dirʿiyya , the British empire launched their Persian Gulf campaign of 1819 . A formidable force consisting of 2,800 British soldiers and 3 warships fought the Qasimi tribesmen allied to Dir'iyya. Their city Ras al Khaimah was demolished in 1819. The General Maritime treaty was concluded in 1820 with

936-648: The Sharif of Mecca , who responded by initiating warfare with the Saudis in 1793; until his surrender in 1803. Intending to form an armed coalition to defeat the Muwahhidun , he corresponded with the Ottoman authorities in Istanbul and sought to turn them hostile against his rivals by portraying them as disbelievers . Similar overtures were also made by the ruler of Baghdad. Such reports eventually succeeded in turning

988-545: The emir , or ruler, of Al-Diriyah. In 1744, Ibn Saud took in a religious scholar named Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab , who hailed from the town of Al-Uyaynah , lying on the same wadi some 30 miles upstream. Ibn Saud agreed to implement al- Wahhabi religious views, and what later became known as the First Saudi State , with its capital at Diriyah, was born. Within the next several decades, Ibn Saud and his immediate descendants managed to subjugate all of Nejd, as well as

1040-539: The ulema families in the aftermath of the invasion. However, the suppression of Wahhabites in Central Arabia ultimately proved to be a failed campaign. Later, Ibrahim Pasha and his troops went on to conquer Qatif and el-Hasa . Remnants of Saudi fortifications were demolished across Najd . Emir's relatives and important Wahhabi leaders were made captives and sent to Egypt. In December 1819, Ibrahim Pasha returned to Egypt after formally incorporating Hejaz into

1092-475: The Al Saud had "left the shell of their old capital behind them, an enduring reminder of the frontiers of the possible" and compared the old Diriyah to "a sand-blown Pompeii ". However, the area was resettled in the late 20th century, mostly by former nomads ( Bedouin ), and a new city was founded by the Saudi government in the late 1970s. This new city of Diriyah grew in size and is now a small but modern town and

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1144-523: The Ottoman Empire and Egyptian forces. They brought the Saudi state to an end in 1818, with Diriyah capitulating after a nearly-year-long siege. The leader of the invading force, Ibrahim Pasha , ordered the destruction of Diriyah. However, when a member of the local nobility tried to revive the Wahhabi state in Diriyah, Ibrahim ordered his troops to destroy the town even further and set whatever

1196-430: The Ottoman Empire. However, they were unable to totally subdue the opposition forces and Central Arabia became a region of permanent Wahhabi uprisings. In the 1820s, Prince Turki ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Muhammed ibn Saud , gathering growing support from tribes and groups that opposed the Turkish occupation, would lay Siege to Riyadh in 1823. By August 1824, Saudi forces would capture Riyadh in a Second Siege, thus establishing

1248-522: The Ottoman bureaucratic opinion significantly hostile against the Wahhabis. In 1797, Sulayman the Great, the Mamluk governor of Iraq, invaded Diriyah with around 15,000 troops in co-ordination with Ghalib and laid a one-month siege to Al-Ahsa . However, re-inforcements led by Saud ibn 'Abd al-Azeez would force the Ottomans to retreat. After three days of skirmish, Sulayman the Great and the Saudis came to

1300-415: The Ottomans and they also claimed Islamic leadership on a different basis. Political hostilities and distrust would eventually lead the Wahhabis and the Ottomans to declare mutual exchanges of Takfir (excommunication), many years after Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab's death. By the 1790s, the Muwahhidun had consolidated their rule over most regions of Central Arabia. The growing Wahhabi influence alarmed Ghaleb,

1352-633: The Saudi local tourism and apart if the Saudi Vision 2030 . Atturaif Living Museum (UNESCO World Heritage Site) received the ‘National Winner’ status in the Social, Cultural and Heritage Project of the Year category at the 2020 MEED Project Awards. Ottoman-Saudi War 10,000–12,000 The Wahhabi War , also known as the Ottoman–Saudi War , was fought from early 1811 until 1818 between

1404-461: The Saudis who successfully defended the area. The Ottomans were forced to retreat back to Yanbu. Muhammad Ali Pasha sent 20,000 troops to help Tusun Pasha recapture Medina. The Ottomans successfully captured the city after the Battle of Medina in November 1812. This combined force captured from the Saudi forces the city of Jeddah , In January 1813, Ottoman troops captured Mecca . In 1815, one of

1456-620: The Turkish Sultan unquestionably. However, neither Muhammad Ali nor the Ottoman Sultan had confirmed the treaty. Suspicious of Abdullah, the Wahhabi Emir, the Ottomans resumed the war in 1816, with the assistance of French military instructors. The Egyptian troops were led by Muhammad Ali's elder son, Ibrahim Pasha , and penetrated into the heart of Central Arabia, besieging the chief centres of Qasim and Najd . Waging

1508-560: The Wahhabi movement where many would die. Events within Egypt delayed delayed the expedition until 1811. In 1811, the Ottomans landed in Yanbu and took over the city after a bloodless confrontation in the Battle of Yanbu where all Saudi forces surrendered. The Ottoman troops then moved south to attempt a recapture of Medina , however the Ottomans were decisively defeated at the Battle of Al-Safra in 1812. 5,000 Ottoman troops were killed by

1560-550: The Wahhabi movement). Some other Qadis and scholars were hunted down and executed. Abd al Aziz ibn Hamad al Mu'ammar managed to settle in Bahrain , where the ruler welcomed him. Few scholars managed to escape to the remote Southern corners of Arabia . The executions reflected the deep Ottoman resentment of Wahhabi movement and also how seriously they viewed its threat. Altogether, the Najdis lost about two dozen scholars and men from

1612-515: The Wahhabi state in December 1807. Ali had embarked on an extensive modernisation program that included a significant expansion of Egypt's military forces. The Ottomans had grown increasingly wary of Ali's reign. ordering him to go to war with the Wahhabi state would serve their interests regardless as the destruction of either would be beneficial to them. Tensions between Ali and his troops also prompted him to send them to Arabia and fight against

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1664-555: The aftermath of the former capital of the First Saudi state: "The site of Deriah is in a deep ravine north-west of Munfooah, about ten miles distant. It is now in ruins, and the inhabitants who were spared, or escaped from the slaughter, have principally sought shelter here ... Munfooah ... was surrounded with a wall and ditch which the Pacha ordered to be razed .... Riad is not so well peopled .... The inhabitants were at that time in

1716-559: The capital of an independent Arab State representing an important phase in the human settlement of the central Arabian peninsula. Sacked by the Ottomans in 1818 in the Siege of Diriyah , abandoned in favour of Riyadh, the area remained deserted until 2000, when the Ad-Diriyah Development Authority was commissioned to carry out an impressive restoration project aimed at transforming this settlement, recognized as

1768-565: The district of Turaif ( طُريف ) was settled. Many families from other towns or from the Bedouin tribes of the nearby desert eventually settled in the area and by the 18th century Diriyah had become a well-known town in Nejd. At that time, Muhammad ibn Saud emerged from a struggle within the ruling family of Al-Diriyah, the Al Miqrin ( مقرن , sons of Miqrin, a descendant of Mani'), and became

1820-567: The eastern and western regions of Arabia, and sent raids into Iraq . Diriyah quickly swelled in size and increased in wealth, becoming the largest town in Nejd and a major city in Arabia by the standards of the time. However, the Saudis' conquest of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina drew the ire of the Ottoman Empire , the major Islamic power at the time, which led to the Ottoman-Saudi War of 1811–1818 and an invasion of Arabia by

1872-570: The edges of the wadi and also made of mud bricks , are still extant along with some short observation towers. The modern city is built at a lower altitude at the foot of the hill upon which Turaif is located. To the north of the town, inside the valley, are a number of gardens, palm groves, and small farms and estates. A dam known as Al-Ilb lies further north. In Muhammad's time the expedition of Muhammad ibn Maslamah took place here in Muharram , July 627 CE/6AH. A platoon of thirty Muslims under

1924-541: The first generation of Muslims ( Muhammad's family and his companions ), the Saudi government undertook a large scale renovation of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab 's domain, turning it into a major tourist attraction. In 2018, Jerry Inzerillo , previously the CEO of Forbes Travel Guide , was hired to lead the new authority. In 2019, Inzerillo said that Diriyah would soon be known as "the Beverly Hills of Riyadh." Among

1976-418: The history of Diriyah proper dates back to the 15th century. According to the chroniclers of Nejd , the city was founded in 1446–47 by Mani' Al-Muraydi ( مانع المريدي ), an ancestor of the Saudi royal family. Mani and his clan had come from the area of Al-Qatif in eastern Arabia, upon the invitation of Ibn Dir' ( ابن درع ), who was then the ruler of a group of settlements that now make up Riyadh . Ibn Dir'

2028-766: The leadership of Muhammad bin Maslamah was despatched on a military mission. It headed for the habitation of the Qurata, a sept of the Bakr clan of the Banu Kilab . The platoon attacked that sept and dispersed them in all directions. The Muslims captured war bounty and returned with the chief of the tribe of Banu Hanifa , called Thumamah Bin Uthal al-Hanafi. Although the location is sometimes identified with an ancient settlement mentioned by Yaqut and Al-Hamadani known as "Ghabra",

2080-481: The local chieftains, which would eventually transform them into a protectorate of Trucial States ; heralding a century of British supremacy in the Gulf . This war had formed the basic hatred of the Wahhabi movement amongst the Ottomans, and continues to influence modern Turkey wherein many Turkish Islamic preachers consider Wahhabism to be un-Islamic. The Saudis, who would form the nation a century later, considered it as

2132-523: The main rebels, Bakhroush bin Alass of Zahran tribe , was killed and beheaded by Muhammad Ali forces in Al Qunfudhah . In the spring of 1815, Ottoman forces inflicted large-scale defeat upon the Saudis, forcing them to conclude a peace treaty. Under the terms of treaty, the Saudis had to let go of Hijaz . Abdullah ibn Saud was forced to acknowledge himself as the vassal of the Ottoman Empire and obey

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2184-614: The mosque of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab has been completely remodeled, leaving only some of the more recent original structures standing to the north of the complex build on the site of the historic mosque. The "Turaif District Development Plan" aims to turn the district into a major national, cultural and touristic center. Before turning the complete site into a modern open-air museum documentation and necessary investigations, including excavations especially in places that may need to be remodelled, are planned in three major phases. These will include sites such as: Once finished, there will be

2236-414: The narrow valley known as Wadi Hanifa , which continues southwards through Riyadh and beyond. Consisting almost entirely of mud-brick structures, the ruins are divided into three districts, Ghussaibah, Al-Mulaybeed, and Turaif that are set on top of hills overlooking the valley . Of the three, Turaif is the highest, and its bottom is easily accessible to tourists by foot. Part of the city wall, running along

2288-509: The old city have been restored and are used as museums. In Diriyah the summers are long, sweltering, and arid, and the winters are cool and dry. Diriyah has a hot desert climate ( Köppen climate classification BWh ). 24°44′00″N 46°34′32″E  /  24.73333°N 46.57556°E  / 24.73333; 46.57556 Al-Turaif District At-Turaif is a historic district located in Ad-Dir'iyah , north-west of Riyadh . It

2340-419: The political leaders were treated well but the Ottomans were far harsher with the religious leaders that inspired the Wahhabi movement , executing Sūlayman ibn 'Abd Allah Aal-Shaykh and other religious notables, as they were thought to be uncompromising in their beliefs and therefore a much bigger threat than political leaders. The executions were also motivated by Ottoman resentment of Wahhabist views. After

2392-682: The rebuilt structures are the bath and guest house, the Qasr Nasr, the Saad bin Saud Palace that was finished by the early 1990s, the Burj Faysal that was a wall tower renovated in the 1980s, major sections of the wall surrounding Turaif, and sections of the outer walls and some watchtowers surrounding the wadi. Outside of the Turaif district, on the opposite side of the wadi Hanifa, the region of

2444-511: The seat of its own governorate . The ruins remain a tourist attraction and are subject to a slow restoration project on the part of the Saudi government. Saudi Arabia has formed the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) to oversee the preservation and development of the historic site. Despite Wahhabi destruction of many Islamic, cultural, and historical sites associated with the early history of Islam and

2496-644: Was executed with the public display of his corpse, upon the orders of the Ottoman Sultan. The British Empire welcomed Ibrahim Pasha's siege of Diriyah with the goal of promoting trade interests in the region. Captain George Forster Sadleir, an officer of the British Army in India was dispatched from Bombay to consult with Ibrahim Pasha in Dariyya. George Forster Sadleir left a record on

2548-605: Was inscribed in UNESCO World Heritage List on July 31, 2010. The various palaces in this area with an oasis and the Najdi architectural and decorative style was one of the UNESCO criteria to list the district as a World Heritage site . Moreover, The At-Turaif District was the first historical center with a unifying power in the Arabian Peninsula . As in the mid-18th century, Al-Dir'iyah became

2600-502: Was left of it on fire. When the Saudis revived their fortunes in 1824 and again in 1902, they made their capital further south in Riyadh , which has remained their capital ever since. The Ottoman Empire viewed the Arab challenge with caution, especially after the loss of Mecca and Medina, and the removal of the Ottoman emperor's name from Friday prayers. An Egyptian army under Ibrahim Pasha

2652-454: Was not until September 1818 that the Wahhabi state ended with the surrendering of its leaders and the head of the Wahhabi state, Abdullah bin Saud , who was sent to Istanbul to be executed. Thus, the Emirate of Diriyah formally ended with the surrendering of its leaders and the head of the Wahhabi state, Abdullah bin Saud, was taken captive and sent to Istanbul. In December, Emir Abdullah ibn Saud

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2704-492: Was sent to recover lost territory. In 1818 the army entered Diriyah and after a six-month siege penetrated the defences on the Turaif , totally destroyed the houses and cut down every tree in the palm groves. The Egyptians were estimated to have lost 10,000 men in the siege, and the Saudi forces 1,800. The town's original inhabitants left Diriyah after 1818, with the bulk of them moving to Riyadh. In The Kingdom (first published in 1981), British author Robert Lacey observed that

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