Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz died on Friday and was replaced by Crown Prince Salman, the OPEC-kingpin's royal court said in a statement.
The late monarch's half brother Moqren was named crown prince, according to the statement.
King Abdullah, 90 had been in hospital for a few weeks suffering from a lung infection.
In 2005, Abdullah came to the throne but had suffered frequent bouts of ill health in recent years.
King Salman, 79, had recently taken on the ailing monarch's responsibilities.
The late king's half brother Moqren has been named the new crown prince, the official statement said.
King Salman called on the royal family's Allegiance Council to recognise Moqren as his crown prince and heir.
"His Highness Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and all members of the family and the nation mourn the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who passed away at exactly 1am this morning," the statement said.
In recent years, his advanced age and poor health had raised concerns about the future leadership of one of the world's key oil producers.
Abdullah's half-brother Salman, 79, was named crown prince in June 2012 following the death of Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz.
Salman had been representing the king at most recent public events because of the monarch's poor health.
In March 2014, King Abdullah named his half-brother Prince Moqren as a second crown prince, in an unprecedented move aimed at smoothing succession hurdles.
Moqren, who was born in 1945, is the youngest of Abdulaziz's sons.
Since the death in 1952 of King Abdulaziz al-Saud, the founder of Saudi Arabia, the throne has systematically passed from one of his sons to another.
But many of them are old or have died. The former crown princes Sultan and Nayef died in 2011 and 2012 respectively.
AFP
Thu Jan 22 2015
![Saudi King Abdullah has died: royal court statement Saudi King Abdullah has died: royal court statement](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2015-01/61421970434_295x200.jpg)
The late monarch's half brother Moqren was named crown prince, according to the statement.
10 Berita Pilihan - (15 Ogos 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Pasukan PBB lawat Bangladesh, siasat pembunuhan protes pelajar
Pasukan penyiasat Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) akan melawat Bangladesh minggu depan untuk menyiasat ratusan kematian semasa protes yang diketuai pelajar baru-baru ini, menurut pegawai badan dunia itu pada Khamis.
Gempa bumi bermagnitud 5.7 gegar timur laut Taiwan
Gempa bumi berukuran 5.7 skala richter melanda daerah Timur Laut Taiwan pada Khamis.
Angka kematian di Gaza cecah 40,000 individu
Pasukan tentera Israel melakukan tiga pembunuhan beramai-ramai terhadap keluarga-keluarga di Semenanjung Gaza dalam tempoh 24 jam lepas, mengakibatkan sekurang-kurangnya 40 rakyat Palestin terbunuh dan 107 lagi cedera, menurut sumber perubatan.
Jepun tamatkan amaran gempa bumi mega
Dalam tempoh berjaga-jaga, Agensi Meteorologi Jepun tidak melihat sebarang pergerakan gempa bumi yang luar biasa atau kerak bumi.
Rakyat UK terancam dengan imigran rampas peluang pekerjaan
Bimbang golongan imigran akan merampas peluang peluang pekerjaan menjadikan rakyat United KIngdom terutamanya mereka yang mempunyai masalah ekonomi melihat imigran sebagai satu ancaman.
Parti Pheu Thai pilih anak perempuan Thaksin calon PM
Paetongtarn, 37, adalah anak perempuan kepada jutawan yang juga bekas Perdana Menteri Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra.
Pemilihan anak Thaksin sebagai PM Thailand dianggap tidak efektif
Pemilihan anak perempuan bekas Perdana Menteri Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, untuk menggantikan Srettha Thavisin sebagai Perdana Menteri negara itu dianggap sebagai tidak efektif.
![Angka kematian di seluruh Semenanjung Gaza meningkat kepada 40,005, lebih 92,401 cedera Angka kematian di seluruh Semenanjung Gaza meningkat kepada 40,005, lebih 92,401 cedera](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723343252_Palestiniansmourn.jpg)
Angka kematian di seluruh Semenanjung Gaza meningkat kepada 40,005, lebih 92,401 cedera
Perkhidmatan kecemasan masih tidak dapat membantu ramai mangsa dan membawa keluar mayat yang terperangkap di bawah runtuhan.
DNA mangsa kebakaran di Pagoh diperoleh, jenazah dijangka dikebumikan esok
Polis mengesahkan telah menerima laporan ujian asid deoksiribonukleik (DNA) dua mayat mangsa yang rentung dalam kebakaran rumah di Kampung Paya Redan, Pagoh, Johor Jumaat lepas.
![Kes hukuman mati Saudi dua kali ganda di bawah Putera Mahkota Mohammed Salman - NGO Kes hukuman mati Saudi dua kali ganda di bawah Putera Mahkota Mohammed Salman - NGO](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2018-12/51546227509_PuteraMahkotaArab.jpg)
Kes hukuman mati Saudi dua kali ganda di bawah Putera Mahkota Mohammed Salman - NGO
Kerajaan Saudi menjatuhkan sebanyak 133 hukuman mati sejak Jun 2017 hingga Mac 2018, berbanding 67 dalam tempoh lapan bulan sebelumnya.