Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the 90-year-old king of Saudi Arabia passed away on Friday, according to government sources.

The Saudi press states that the king was suffering from respiratory system problems and was undergoing treatment in hospital.

His throne goes to Abdullah’s 79-year-old brother Salman bin Abdulaziz. The new king is considered a continuant of Abdullah’s efforts to reconcile Islamic traditions with the needs of the modern economy.

Simple, kind-hearted and well-spoken, Abdullah was born in 1924 and became king in 2006. He was appointed regent in 1995 when his predecessor had suffered a stroke. Initially, Abdullah was considered as conservative by foreign diplomats, however, this image was demolished as he showed willingness and took steps to ameliorate reforms within the country’s interior.