Hussa bint Ahmed Al Sudairi

Her father was Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Sudairi (1869–1936) and her mother was Sharifa bint Ali bin Mohammed Al Suwaidi.

King Abdulaziz married her twice.

She was his 8th wife, and first cousin once removed via Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Turki Al Sudairi.

Hussa bint Ahmed Al Sudairi (حصة بنت أحمد السديري; 1900–1969) was one of the wives of King Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, with whom she had seven sons and four daughters.

Her sons included two future Saudi kings, Fahd and Salman, as well as Sultan bin Abdulaziz and Nayef bin Abdulaziz, who both later served as crown prince.

Her sons with Abdulaziz are commonly known as the Sudairi Seven.

Hussa bint Ahmed was a member of the influential Al Sudairi family from Najd.

The family are part of the noble Dawasir tribe.

The mother of King Abdulaziz, Sara bint Ahmed Al Sudairi, was also a member of the Sudairi family and daughter of Hussa's great-grandfather, Ahmed bin Muhammed Al Sudairi.

Hussa's mother was Sharifa bint Ali bin Mohammed Al Suwaidi.

Her father, Ahmed bin Muhammed Al Sudairi, was a powerful chief of the Sudairi tribe and one of the early supporters of King Abdulaziz during the latter's attempts to conquer Saudi Arabia.

Following the formation of the state, her father served as governor in Washm, Sudair, Qassim and Aflaj provinces.

Her brothers were also appointed by King Abdulaziz as governors.

Turki bin Ahmed was the governor of Asir Province; Abdulaziz bin Ahmed was the governor of the former provinces of Quraiyat al Milh and Wadi Sirhan; Khalid bin Ahmed was the governor of Tabuk Province; Muhammad bin Ahmed was the governor of Northern Province; Abdul Rahman bin Ahmad was the governor of Jauf and Musa'id bin Ahmed was the governor of Jizan Province.

Khalid bin Ahmed also served as the governor of Najran Province and as the minister of agriculture.

Hussa bint Ahmed was born in the town of Al Ghat in 1900.

They first married in 1913 when she was thirteen-years-old.

They divorced after a few years, but remarried in 1919.

In the period between their first and second marriages, Hussa bint Ahmed married King Abdulaziz’s younger half brother, Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman.

Hussa had a son from this marriage, Abdullah bin Mohammad.

It is assumed that King Abdulaziz remained in love with Hussa bint Ahmed, and therefore, forced his half-brother to divorce her so that he could remarry her.

Hussa bint Ahmed had a private palace, but in 1938 she moved to the newly constructed Murabba Palace with King Abdulaziz.

She remained married with King Abdulaziz until the latter's death in 1953.

Hussa bint Ahmed and King Abdulaziz had 12 children together, including seven sons.

No other spouse of King Abdulaziz produced more sons than Hussa Al Sudairi.

Hussa bint Ahmed became the most valued spouse of King Abdulaziz due to being mother of seven sons.

In Arab culture, the most prominent wife is the one who gives birth to the largest number of sons.

Therefore, Hussa had the advantage of being a "mother of boys."

Her sons with King Abdulaziz are known as the Sudairi Seven.

They were also called the "magnificent seven."

Hussa and King Abdulaziz's children are as follows:

Two of her daughters married to Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman's sons, younger brother of King Abdulaziz.

Al Jawhara bint Abdulaziz was Khalid bin Abdullah's spouse, and Jawahir bint Abdulaziz was Mohammed bin Abdullah's wife.

Luluwah bint Abdulaziz is the mother of Abdullah bin Faisal bin Turki.

In addition to being the mother of seven sons, Hussa bint Ahmed had personal characteristics that made her the most valued spouse of King Abdulaziz.

Firstly, she was very beautiful and had charm and a strong personality.

She was also influential, and attempted to instill a sense of group feeling among her sons.

She raised all of her children in a political atmosphere and urged them to spend time together.

In addition, she had effects on some decisions of King Abdulaziz.

For instance, she urged him to make Prince Fahd a member of his advisory board.