Following the death of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia yesterday, Friday, January 23, 2015, the royal family structure has ensured a smooth transition of power. In a televised statement in Saudi Arabia, Abdullah’s brother and former Crown Prince, Salman, having announced the former king’s death, has also assumed the throne. 79-year old Salman was named crown prince in June 2012 following the death of Prince Naif, which makes him the heir to the throne all through the reign of the former king. And following the death of King Abdullah, he is the new ruler of the influential Asian nation. Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was born December 31, 1935 and had been the Minister of Defence since 2011 before ascending the throne in the last few hours. Before he was named Minister of Defence, he was the Governor of Riyadh Province from 1963 to 2011.