Modern Era · Middle East · Religion
1979
Grand Mosque seized in Mecca
November 20, 1979
Hundreds of armed Saudi militants led by Juhayman al-Otaybi seized the Grand Mosque in Mecca, declaring his brother-in-law the Mahdi. Saudi forces, after two weeks of bloody siege, retook the holy site with help from French commandos. The event pushed the Saudi royal family toward a more conservative religious posture that would reshape global Islam.
In context
Also in 1979 (6 other events on record)
- Khomeini returns to Iran · Middle East · Politics
- Soviet invasion of Afghanistan · Central Asia · War
- Thatcher becomes PM · Europe · Politics
- US embassy hostages taken in Tehran · Middle East · Politics
- Three Mile Island · North America · Disaster
- Sandinistas take Managua · North America · Politics
Before and after in Middle East
Before and after in Religion
Era
Modern Era (1901–2000), one of 590 events from that era on Saeculum.