Heir to the Saudi Throne Dies in New York
Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz died in October 2011, setting off the first of several rapid changes in Saudi Arabia's line of succession.
Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, heir to the Saudi throne and the kingdom's long-serving defence minister, died in a New York hospital on 22 October 2011 after a long illness. He was in his eighties.
A pillar of the old guard
Sultan was one of the most powerful of the sons of King Abdulaziz, the kingdom's founder. He had served as minister of defence and aviation since 1962, overseeing the build-up of the Saudi armed forces and some of the largest arms purchases in history, including the controversial Al-Yamamah deals with Britain. He became crown prince when his half-brother Abdullah acceded to the throne in 2005.
The succession question
His death came amid concern about the age and health of the kingdom's leadership during the Arab uprisings. His brother Prince Nayef, the interior minister, was named crown prince, but died in June 2012. Prince Salman then became heir and succeeded King Abdullah in January 2015.
King Salman's accession brought the most dramatic change in Saudi succession in decades. Power passed to a new generation, and his son Mohammed bin Salman was named crown prince in 2017. The death of Sultan in 2011 marked the beginning of the end of the era in which the throne passed between the ageing sons of the founder.