After the fall of the Emirate of Diriyah in 1818, Mishari bin Saud, brother of the last ruler Abdullah ibn Saud, initially attempted to regain power but was captured and killed by the Egyptians. In 1824, Turki ibn Abdullah ibn Muhammad, a grandson of the first Saudi imam Muhammad ibn Saud, successfully expelled Egyptian forces from Riyadh, founding the second Saudi dynasty. He is also an ancestor of modern-day Saudi kings. Turki established his capital in Riyadh, with support from relatives who had escaped Egyptian captivity, including his son Faisal ibn Turki Al Saud.

Turki was assassinated in 1834 by a distant cousin, Mishari bin Abdul Rahman, and was succeeded by his son Faisal, who became a significant ruler. However, Faisal faced another Egyptian invasion and was defeated and captured in 1838.

Khalid bin Saud, another relative of the Saudi dynasty, was installed by the Egyptians as ruler in Riyadh. In 1840, when Egypt withdrew its forces due to external conflicts, Khalid's lack of local support led to his downfall. Abdullah bin Thunayan from the Al Thunayan branch briefly took power, but Faisal, released that year and assisted by the Al Rashid rulers of Ha'il, regained control of Riyadh. Faisal accepted Ottoman suzerainty in return for recognition as "ruler of all the Arabs".^[23]

Following Faisal's death in 1865, the Saudi state declined due to leadership disputes among his sons Abdullah, Saud, Abdul Rahman, and Saud's sons. Abdullah initially assumed rule in Riyadh but faced challenges from his brother Saud, leading to a prolonged civil war and alternating control over Riyadh. Muhammad bin Abdullah Al Rashid of Ha'il, a vassal of the Saudis, took advantage of the conflict to expand his influence over Najd and eventually expelled the last Saudi leader, Abdul Rahman bin Faisal, after the Battle of Mulayda in 1891.^{[24 ]}As the Saudis went into exile in Kuwait, the House of Rashīd sought friendly ties with the Ottoman Empire to its north. This alliance became less and less profitable during the course of the 19th century as the Ottomans lost influence and legitimacy.