How many wives did King Abdullah have?

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia had between 15 and 30 wives and was rumored to have fathered more than 40 children. The monarch was in power from 2005 until his death on January 23, 2005.

Islam allows men to take up to four wives, but polygamy usually only occurs if the first wife reaches menopause and has not borne a son. Polygamy is much more common in Saudi Arabia than other Muslim countries such as Iraq, Iran and Damascus. Saudi Arabia is considered the most strict of any Islamic nation in its interpretation of Sharia, and it actively curtails the activities and freedom of its women.