History of Diriyah in the Time of Ottomans
The House of King Abdulaziz has published short documentaries from the period in which the city of Diriyah fell under Ottomans rule. It was subjected to vandalism and destruction before Imam Turki bin Abdullah, founder of the second Saudi state, recovered it. The documentary inspired events from a poem by the poet Muhammad bin Abdulaziz Abu Tahiya.
The city of Diriyah is the hometown of heroism. Since the first Saudi state, it has been a national symbol and continues till these days as a symbol of testament to struggle and valor against tyranny.
The documentary indicated that the poet Abu Nahya portrayed the transformation that the city of Diriyah witnessed back then from being a business center where all the merchants and purchases go through it to the destruction of Muhdesh after Ibrahim Pasha invades it in 1233 HA.
The poet has pointed out the destruction, looting, and permissibility that the city of Diriyah was subjected to in terms of killing, worshipers, displacement of people, and identified images of mass killing that did not exclude women and children, thus ending the first Saudi state.
The documentary showed the optimism in the poet of Abu Nahya for victory and the return of the city of Diriyah to its glorious former era, which was achieved after Imam Turki bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Saud managed to restore it and establish the second Saudi state.
He pointed out that this historical event is the reason behind the “Ardha,” a traditional celebration where all people interact in it, including the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz.