The first ruler of the House of Saud was Muhammad ibn Saud, who was a chief of an Arabian village and later became known as the founder of the Emirate of Diriyah, the First Saudi State (1727-1818)【5†(House of Saud)】【6†(Wikipedia)】【7†(Wikipedia)】. Muhammad ibn Saud rose to power in the 18th century, aligning himself with the Wahhabi religious movement, and his leadership marked the beginning of the House of Saud’s political and religious significance in the region【5†(House of Saud)】【9†(Britannica)】. His rulership set the foundation for the lineage of the Saud family, which continues to rule Saudi Arabia to this day. The House of Saud’s history traces back to the 15th century when a Bedouin chieftain named Mani al Muraidi founded the town of Diriyah, which eventually became part of the capital city, Riyadh【8†(Haaretz)】.