Yaacob II
Yaacob II of Arabia (Yaacob bin Khalid Al-Saud; born 3 November 2011) is the current Caliph of Saudi Arabia and Head of the Commonwealth of Arab States, having ascended to the throne on 8 April 2039. He is the fourth son of Caliph Ibrahim, and served as Crown Prince of Arabia for four years prior to his accession. He has a reported personal wealth of at least $550 billion, making him the wealthiest royal in the world.
In addition to his royal duties, Yaacob has also served in numerous government positions, including Minister of Finance (2035 - 2038), Minister of Education (2034 - 2035) and Minister of Culture and Information (2033 - 2034). He attended the Sandhurst Military Academy in the United Kingdom and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 2029. He served in the Arabian Armed Forces from 2029 to 2033 and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel before leaving to focus on his royal duties. As Crown Prince, he was named the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Arabian Armed Forces, and was given the honorary rank of Field Marshal.
As Caliph, Yaacob's has made significant contributions to Saudi Arabia's standing in the world. He has favored a continuation of his father's policy of projecting strength through finance and economics, overseeing more than $26 trillion in foreign investment since 2039. Under his reign, Saudi Arabia has become the world's second-largest economy, behind China, and has the world's highest per-capita GDP.
"Historically, the Arabs have made innumerable contributions to the human race, including the creation of universities, hospitals, and algebra. Now, the world is ready for a new age of Arab leadership. Our Caliphate is already at the forefront of science, technology and innovation, and we will continue building a conducive environment for further breakthroughs in these areas.
In recent years, we have developed a vaccine for previously-incurable diseases, such as AIDs. In the coming years, we seek to find a cure for cancer, and in so doing, we will revolutionize the ability of humans to lead healthy, high-quality lives."
Yaacob IICaliph of Arabia
29 June 2040
Under Yaacob's reign, Saudi Arabia further expanded its sphere of influence by securing concessions from the United States for the establishment of autonomous zones in New Jersey and Maryland, where Sharia law is enforced subject to the jurisdiction of the International Sharia Commission headquartered in Riyadh. This follows the implementation of similar autonomous zones in the states of Georgia and South Carolina, as well as the British city of Birmingham and the Spanish city of Cordoba, during the reign of his grandfather Yaacob I.