Hamdanids (Yemen)

Series of three clans descended from the Arab Banū Hamdān tribe The Hamdanids (Arabic: الهمدانيون) was a series of three clans descended from the Arab Banū Hamdān tribe, who ruled in northern Yemen between 1099 and 1174. They were expelled from power when the Ayyubids conquered Yemen in 1174. They were a Shia Ismaili dynasty that followed the Fatimid Caliphs based in Egypt. They were also Hafizi Ismaili as opposed to the Taiyabi Ismaili. History Taking power in San'a All the three lines (and definitely the third one) appear to have been descended from the Hamdan tribe, just like the Ismaili Sulayhid dynasty who ruled Yemen and were adherents of the Egyptian Fatimid caliphs. The Sulayhid capital was moved from San'a to Jibla in 1088, and a Hamdan tribesman called Imran bin al-Fadl was appointed governor of the city together with the king's uncle As'ad bin Shihab. When the Sulayhid da'i or leader Saba' bin Ahmad died in 1098, control over San'a passed to the powerful tribal leader Hatim bin al-Ghashim al-Mughallasi who took the title sultan. Hatim established the power of the Hamdanids together with his eldest son Muhammad. However, he soon found reason to kill his son,