Sulayhid dynasty بَنُو صُلَيْح (in Arabic) | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1047–1138 | |||||||||||||||||
| Capital | |||||||||||||||||
| Common languages | Arabic | ||||||||||||||||
| Religion | Ismaili Shia Islam | ||||||||||||||||
| Government | Sultanate | ||||||||||||||||
| Sultan | |||||||||||||||||
• 1047–1066 (first) | Ali al-Sulayhi | ||||||||||||||||
• 1067/1081–1086 | Al-Mukarram Ahmad | ||||||||||||||||
• 1086–1138 | Arwa al-Sulayhi | ||||||||||||||||
| Historical era | Early Middle Ages | ||||||||||||||||
• Established | 1047 | ||||||||||||||||
• Disestablished | 1138 | ||||||||||||||||
| Currency | Dinar | ||||||||||||||||
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The Sulayhid dynasty (Arabic: بَنُو صُلَيْح, romanized: Banū Ṣulayḥ, lit. 'Children of Sulayh') was an Ismaili Shi'ite Arab dynasty established in 1047 by Ali ibn Muhammad al-Sulayhi that ruled most of historical Yemen at its peak. The Sulayhids brought to Yemen peace and a prosperity unknown since Himyaritic times.[1] The regime was confederate with the Cairo-based Fatimid Caliphate, and was a constant enemy of the Rassids - the Zaidi Shi'ite rulers of Yemen throughout its existence.[2] The dynasty ended with Arwa al-Sulayhi affiliating to the Taiyabi Ismaili sect, as opposed to the Hafizi Ismaili sect that the other Ismaili dynasties such as the Zurayids and the Hamdanids adhered to.