Arwa al-Sulayhi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Malikah (Arabic: مَلِكَة, romanized: Queen) Arwā bint Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar ibn Mūsā Aṣ-Ṣulayḥī
Mausoleum of Queen Arwa inside Queen Arwa Mosque, Jibla
Born	440 Hijri (1048 CE) Haraz, Yemen, South Arabia
Died	1138 CE Jibla, Yemen
Resting place	Queen Arwa Mosque, Jibla
Other names	As-Sayyidah Al-Ḥurrah (ٱلسَّيِّدَة ٱلْحُرَّة) Al-Malikah Al-Ḥurrah (Arabic: ٱلْمَلِكَة ٱلْحُرَّة or Al-Ḥurratul-Malikah (Arabic: ٱلْحُرَّةُ ٱلْمَلِكَة, lit. 'The Noble Queen') Malikat Sabaʾ Aṣ-Ṣaghīrah (مَلِكَة سَبَأ ٱلصَّغِيْرَة, "Little Queen of Sheba")
Known for	Being a long-reigning Queen of Yemen and Islam
Predecessor	Asma bint Shihab
Successor	(Sulayhid Dynasty abolished)
Spouse(s)	Ahmad al-Mukarram Saba ibn Ahmad
Children	Abd al-Imam Muhammad Abd al-Mustansir Ali Fatimah Umm Hamdan
Parent(s)	Ahmad ibn Muhammad (father)

Imagine a powerful queen who ruled a country for many years! That was Arwa al-Sulayhi, also known as Arwā bint Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar ibn Mūsā aṣ-Ṣulayḥī. She lived from about 1048 to 1138 CE. Queen Arwa was a ruler of Yemen for a very long time, from 1067 until her death.

She first ruled alongside her two husbands. Later, she became the sole ruler. She was the last ruler of the Sulayhid Dynasty. Queen Arwa was also the first woman to be given the important religious title of Hujjah in the Isma'ili branch of Shia Islam. This title meant she was seen as a very important religious leader in her time. People often called her As-Sayyidah Al-Ḥurrah, which means "The Noble Lady," or "The Noble Queen." She was also called "Little Queen of Sheba" because of her wisdom and power.

Queen Arwa holds a special place in history because she was a female ruler. While there were other female monarchs in the Muslim world, Arwa and Asma bint Shihab were the only ones in the Muslim Arab world to have the khutbah (a special sermon) read in their name in mosques. This was a huge honor and showed they were truly recognized as rulers. She also built many mosques, including the famous Queen Arwa Mosque.

Arwa was the first queen regnant (a queen who rules in her own right) in the Muslim world. Because she held the title of hujjah, she was the only Muslim woman to have both political and religious power on her own.

Her time as a political leader can be divided into four main parts:

• First, from her marriage in 1065 until her mother-in-law Asma died in 1074. During this time, she didn't have much political power.
• Second, after Asma's death, her husband Ahmad gave all his power to Arwa. This lasted until his death in 1084.
• Third, after her husband died, Arwa ruled as the queen mother for her son. She also married Saba' al-Sulayhi (though it was never a real marriage) to make her rule seem more official. She held the real power.
• Finally, after Saba' died in 1097 or 1098, Arwa ruled completely on her own, without any man officially in charge.

Her Name

The name Arwa (Arabic: أَرْوَى, romanized: Arwā') means "female ibex" (a type of wild goat). It's also a traditional Muslim name for girls, meaning graceful, beautiful, soft, and lively.

Some historians have wondered if Arwa was her real name. They thought her real name might have been Sayyidah. However, other historians say that early writings do call her Arwa. The name "as-Sayyidah al-Hurrah," or "the noble lady," was an honorable title used along with her name Arwa. So, she was probably known by both names during her lifetime.

Her Life and Reign

Arwa was born in 1047 or 1048 CE. Her father died when she was young. After his death, she was raised in the royal palace by her uncle, Ali al-Sulayhi, and his wife, Asma. They noticed her intelligence early on and made sure she received the best education. The Sulayhid family was known for providing good education for their women.

In 1065 or 1066, when she was about 18, Arwa married her cousin, al-Mukarram Ahmad. This marriage was arranged by her uncle Ali. As a wedding gift, Arwa received a large sum of money each year from the city of Aden.

Arwa and al-Mukarram Ahmad had four children: two daughters, Fatimah and Umm Hamdan, and two sons, Muhammad and Ali. Sadly, both sons died when they were young.

As Queen Consort

In 1067, Arwa's uncle Ali al-Sulayhi was killed. His wife, Queen Asma, was captured. Arwa's husband, al-Mukarram Ahmad, became the new king. This made Arwa the queen consort. Many local rulers in Yemen tried to take advantage of the situation and rebelled. Ahmad spent several years fighting to regain control, and he eventually succeeded.

During this time, it's not clear how much political power Arwa had. Some historians believe she didn't have much. Others think that because her husband was often away fighting, Arwa had a chance to get involved in politics.

Queen Asma, Arwa's mother-in-law, was a very respected person. Some historians say Asma was almost a co-ruler with her husband and then had a lot of power when her son ruled. Others say she didn't have as much direct power. However, it's likely that Arwa learned a lot about ruling by watching and helping Asma.

Ruling for al-Mukarram Ahmad

Queen Arwa Al-Sulaihi Palace, front view, Jibla, Yemen

Asma died in 1074 or 1075. Soon after, Ahmad became very ill and couldn't move easily. Although Ahmad was still the official ruler, Arwa took over all the real power. He trusted her intelligence and wisdom.

One story says that Arwa was hesitant to take on such a big role. However, she quickly showed that she was very capable. Soon after becoming regent, she made two important decisions. First, she moved the capital city from Sanaa to Dhu Jibla. This was partly for Ahmad's health, but also because the Sulayhid family wanted a stronger capital. Arwa herself led an army to Dhu Jibla. She made the city bigger and personally oversaw the building of a new palace.

Her second big decision was to have the khutbah (sermon) read in her name, after the caliph and her husband. This was the first time this honor was given to a woman.

Unlike her mother-in-law, Queen Asma, Arwa did not appear without a veil in public meetings. However, she still attended state councils in person and met with men. She refused to hide behind a screen.

In 1075, she led a campaign against a rival leader. Her army won a great victory. Arwa had the defeated leader's head displayed near her palace window. This showed her strength and determination.

During this time, Arwa communicated a lot with the Fatimid leaders in Egypt. They sent her important letters, recognizing her as the real ruler of Yemen. These letters didn't even mention her husband, Ahmad, showing how much power she had.

Ruling for Her Son and Marriage to Saba'

Al-Mukarram Ahmad died in 1084. He wanted his cousin Saba' to take over. But Arwa secretly asked the Fatimid leaders to appoint her 10-year-old son, Abd al-Mustansir Ali, as the new ruler. The Fatimids agreed, trusting Arwa to manage their affairs in Yemen.

This was a difficult time, and some tribal leaders challenged Arwa's power. Aden and other areas broke away from Sulayhid rule. The Fatimid caliph then gave Arwa the title of hujjah, the highest rank in their religious system after the caliph himself. This was the first time a woman had ever received such a title. This meant she was seen as a model religious figure.

Historians debate whether her role as hujjah was mainly religious or political. Some say she had full authority in both areas. Others argue it was more symbolic and political, meant to stabilize the region by supporting an experienced leader like Arwa.

Arwa ruled Yemen as regent for her young son. She also gave Saba' an important role in protecting the Sulayhid state. However, Saba' was not successful as a military leader. Soon after, Arwa's stepfather rebelled against Saba'.

Arwa wrote to the Fatimid caliph, explaining the problems in Yemen. The caliph sent a public letter telling everyone to obey Arwa's authority. He said that disobeying her was like disobeying him. This helped end the civil war.

Around 1090, Arwa's son Abd al-Mustansir died suddenly. Her younger son had also died earlier. This left Arwa as the sole ruler. At this point, Saba' wanted to become king and proposed marriage to Arwa.

Some stories say Arwa refused Saba's proposal, leading to a standoff. However, the Fatimid caliph supported the marriage and ordered Arwa to marry Saba'. She had to obey. The marriage happened, but it's believed they never lived as husband and wife.

This event showed a change in the Fatimids' attitude. After her sons died, they seemed to prefer a man to be in charge. They hoped Saba's marriage to Arwa would make his rule more accepted.

The Fatimid caliph died in 1094, leading to a disagreement over who should be the next leader. Arwa chose to support one of the sons, al-Musta'li. Even though Saba' was officially king, the Fatimids continued to send all important letters to Arwa, showing she still held the real power in Yemen.

Independent Rule

Saba' died in 1098, and Arwa's stepfather died a year later. This left Arwa as the undisputed ruler of Yemen. She was publicly called al-malika, or "queen"—the first time this had happened in the Islamic world. The Fatimids accepted her as the sovereign ruler. They were busy with their own problems, including a religious split and the First Crusade.

After the deaths of Saba' and her other advisors, Arwa appointed a loyal commander named al-Mufaddal. He helped her regain control over some areas. However, Sanaa broke away for good.

In 1110, while al-Mufaddal was away fighting, there was a rebellion at a fortress called al-Ta'kar. Arwa, which was rare for her, personally led an army to al-Ta'kar. She negotiated with the rebels and successfully brought the fortress back under her control.

After al-Mufaddal died, Sulayhid control weakened. Arwa appointed his cousin, As'ad, but he wasn't very effective. In 1119, Arwa, now 65 years old, asked the Fatimids for help. They sent a commander named Ibn al-Muwaffaq.

Al-Muwaffaq helped restore control over several castles. However, he couldn't retake major cities. In 1123, the Fatimids sent more soldiers to help him. But the local tribal leaders loyal to Arwa were not happy with his presence.

Al-Muwaffaq became overconfident and tried to take power from Arwa. He thought she was too old to rule. But Arwa quickly fought back. She surrounded his soldiers and spread rumors that he was stealing money. His own soldiers abandoned him, and he was forced to surrender to Arwa. She had him arrested.

The caliph eventually asked for al-Muwaffaq to be sent back. Arwa sent him back to Egypt by boat, inside a wooden cage! She also sent her trusted secretary to apologize to the caliph. Sadly, the ship sank, and they never made it to Egypt.

Religious Policy

Arwa was given the highest religious rank in Yemen, that of Hujjat, by Imām Al-Mustansir Billah in 1084. This was the first time a woman had ever received such a high religious status in Islam.

Under her rule, religious teachers were sent to western India. Because of her support, an Ismāʿīlī community was formed in Gujarat in the 11th century. This community still exists today as the Dawoodi Bohra, Sulaymani, and Alavi groups.

In a religious split in 1094, Arwa supported Al-Musta'li as the rightful successor. Because Arwa was so highly respected in Yemen and western India, these areas followed her in recognizing Al-Musta'li as the new Fatimid Caliph.

Through her support of Imām at-Tāyyīb, she became the head of a new group called the Taiyabi Ismaili. Her enemies in Yemen supported a different leader, but they couldn't remove Queen Arwa from power. The Taiyabi Ismaili believe that Imām al-Āmir bi'Aḥkāmill-Lāh asked Arwa to appoint a leader for his young son, Imām Taiyyab. She then appointed Zoeb bin Moosa as Da'i al-Mutlaq, who was the representative for the hidden Imām. This line of leaders continues to this day.

The other branch of Isma'ilism, which followed al-Hafiz, disappeared after the Fatimid rule ended in 1171. But the Taiyabi religious movement, started by Arwa, continued in Yemen. Because of the strong connections between Yemen and India, the Taiyabi cause also thrived in western India.

The fact that Arwa was chosen as hujjah needed a religious explanation. One important religious leader explained that a person's true gender isn't just about their body. It's about their actions and spiritual knowledge. He argued that some people, like Arwa, could reach the highest levels of spiritual knowledge, making them spiritually "male" even if they had a female body. He said Arwa's wisdom was so great that her appointment as hujjah made perfect sense.

Building and Economic Policy

Queen Arwa was also a great builder. In Sana'a, she made the grand mosque larger and improved the road to Samarra. In Jibla, she built a new Palace of Queen Arwa and the mosque named after her. She also built many schools throughout her kingdom. Arwa helped the economy by supporting farming and trade.

Death and Legacy

Queen Arwa died in 1138 when she was 90 years old. She was buried in the mosque she had built in Dhu Jibla. Her tomb is now a place where Muslims from different communities visit.

With Arwa's death, the Sulayhid dynasty mostly ended. She left all her wealth to the Tayyibi religious movement. Although some Sulayhid family members held onto a few fortresses after her death, they were not very important.

During her lifetime, Arwa's strong political role may have inspired other women in Yemen to become leaders. Later queens in Yemen might have also been influenced by Arwa's example to take an active role in politics.

Some historians regret that Arwa, and her mother-in-law Asma, are not more well-known. They note that as an Isma'ili woman from Yemen, Arwa was a "triply marginalized" figure, meaning she was often overlooked by historians.

Personality

Historical writings all agree that Arwa was very intelligent, charming, and skilled in politics. One historian described her as "a woman of great piety, integrity, and excellence, perfect intelligence and erudition, surpassing men even." Another said she was "well-read" and had an amazing memory for history and poetry. She was also known for her deep understanding of the Qur'an.

Modern historians describe Arwa as having a very independent personality. Historical sources also describe her physical appearance as "of fair complexion tinged with red; tall, well-proportioned, but inclined to stoutness, perfect in beauty of features, with a clear-sounding voice." These descriptions likely came from stories passed down over time.

Images for kids

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  Wooden Tasbih of Hurrat-ul-Malaika

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  The grave Hurratul mallika

In Bohra History

See also

In Spanish: Arwa al-Sulayhi para niños