Mahra Sultanate

Mahra State of Qishn and Socotra
الدولة المهرية للبر وسقطرى (Arabic)
Al-Dawlah al-Mahrīyah lil-Barr wa-Suquṭrā
1432–1967
Flag of Mahra
Flag
Map of Mahra in 1923
Map of Mahra in 1923
Location of Mahra within the Arabian peninsula in 1923
Location of Mahra within the Arabian peninsula in 1923
CapitalShihr (until 1495)
Qishn
Tamrida/Hadibu
Common languagesArabic, Mehri
Religion
Islam
Demonym(s)Mahri
GovernmentMonarchy
History 
• Established
1432
• British protectorate
1886
• Dissolved
30 November 1967
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Rasulid dynasty
South Yemen
Today part ofYemen
Oman

The Mahra Sultanate, known in its later years as the Mahra State of Qishn and Socotra (Arabic: الدولة المهرية للبر وسقطرى Al-Dawlah al-Mahrīyah lil-Barr wa-Suquṭrā) or sometimes the Mahra Sultanate of Ghayda and Socotra (Arabic: سلطنة المهرة في الغيضة وسقطرى Salṭanat al-Mahrah fī al-Ghayḍah wa-Suquṭrā) was a sultanate that included the historical region of Mahra and the Guardafui Channel island of Socotra in what is now eastern Yemen. It was ruled by the Banu Afrar dynasty for most of its history.

The Sultanate was inhabited by the Mehri people who spoke the Mahri language, a modern South Arabian language. The Mehri share, with their regional neighbours on the island of Socotra and in Dhofar, cultural traditions like a modern South Arabian language, and frankincense agriculture. The region benefits from a coastal climate, distinct from the surrounding desert climate, with seasons dominated by the khareef or monsoon.

In 1886, the Sultanate became under the British-ruled Aden Protectorate and later under the Protectorate of South Arabia. The Sultanate was abolished in 1967 upon the founding of the People's Republic of South Yemen. With the departure of the British from the larger southern Arabian region, the Aden-based South Yemeni government divided the sultanate, creating the Al Mahra Governorate and Socotra was administered by the Aden Governorate. The sultanate is now part of the Republic of Yemen and the Sultanate of Oman.