Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab establishes an austere form of Islam that preaches a literal reading of the Qur'an. He joins forces with a local ruler, Muhammad bin Saud, to conquer Arabia and excise looser interpretations of Islam.

succeeded by his son

He even gave up the title of imam, or prayer leader, devoting his last years to prayer, reflection, teaching, and the study of religious texts

Abdul-Aziz bin Muhammad declares war for the first time (based on the principles of Wahhabism) against the amir of Mecca, Sharif Ghalib Effendi. Previously, those following Wahhabism would attack nonbelievers in secret.

the Wahhabi army marched to Karbala with a force of 10,000 men and 6,000 camels. Upon reaching Karbala, they mercilessly and indiscriminately attacked its inhabitants for eight hours, massacring about 5,000 people. Moreover, they severely damaged Imam Hussein’s mosque, looted the city, and left the carnage-laden city with its treasures on 200 camels.

The Wahhabis take control of Mecca, challenging the Ottoman sultan's claim to the guardianship of the holy sites. They capture Medina the following year.

The Turks dispatch Egyptian ruler Muhammad Ali to overthrow the Wahhabis and reinstate Ottoman sovereignty. He succeeds

With Wahhabi help, Ibn Saud recaptures Riyadh

Wahhabism entered Central Asia in around 1912 with Sayed Shari Muhammed, but it did not take hold until after the Afghan War when the Saudi royal family adopted it (after a oil boom).

Modern Saudi Arabia is founded. Wahhabism is the official religion.

Islamic extremists use Wahhabist ideals to justify acts of violence like the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.