Yemen
Although, Zaidi government in Yemen had ups and downs and sometimes, Zaidis lost the power, they could possess the power for about 11 centuries. The table below gives a report about Zaidi rulers:
Zaidi Ruler | Ruling Period | Comments |
Al-Hadi Yahya b. al-Husayn | 280/893-94 – 298/910-11 | - |
Al-Murtada li-Din Allah | 298/910-11 – 310/922-23 | - |
Al-Nasir li-Din Allah | 310/922-23 – 315/927-28 | - |
- | Until late 4th/10th century | Zaidis had conflicts among themselves and had disputes with Isma'ilis and they had no major ruler. |
Al-Mansur bi-Allah al-Qasim b. 'Ali | d. 393/1002-3 | - |
Al-Mahdi li-Din Allah al-Husayn b. al-Qasim | 393/1002-3 – 404/1013-14 | He had special followers who believed in his occultation and Mahdism and were called Husaynis. At that time, Zaidis were divided to two sects of Mutrafiyya and Mukhtari'a. |
Al-Nasir li-Din Allah Abu l-Fath al-Daylami | d. 444/1052-53 | He was killed by Isma'ilites of Yemen and that was the end of the first period of Zaidis' ruling in Yemen. |
Al-Mutawakkil 'Ala Allah Ahmad b. Sulayman | 532/1137-38 – 566/1170-71 | He seriously stood against Mutrafiyya thoughts. |
Al-Mansur bi-Allah 'Abd Allah b. Hamza | 566/1170-71 – 614/1217-18 | He is called the reviver of Zaidi thoughts in the 6th/12th century. |
Al-Mahdi li-Din Allah Ahmad b. al-Husayn | d. 656/1258 | Some Zaidis thought that he was al-Mahdi (the savior). |
Al-Mansur bi-Allah al-Hasan b. Badr al-Din Muhammad | d. 670/1271-72 | He was among the most famous imams of Zaidis, having genuine Zaidi thoughts in middle centuries |
Al-Mutawakkil 'Ala Allah Mutahhar b. Yahya | d. 697/1297-98 | He was known as al-Muzallal bi-l-Ghamam |
Al-Mahdi li-Din Allah Muhammad | d. 728/1328 | He and his father Al-Mutawakkil 'Ala Allah were two revivers of Zaidi thoughts at the beginning of the 8th/14th century. |
Al-Mu'ayyad bi-Allah Yahya b. Hamza | 729/1328-29 - 749/1348-49 | He had many important works. |
Al-Mahdi li-Din Allah Ahmad b. Yahya | d. 840/1436-37 | He was known as Ibn Murtada. He was the reviver of Zaidi thoughts at the beginning of the 9th century AH |
Al-Hadi ila l-Haqq 'Izz al-Din b. al-Hasan | d. 900/1494-95 | Among great Zaidi theorists |
Al-Mutawakkil 'ala Allah Yahya Sharaf al-Din | d. 965/1557-58 | After him, for about 50 years, no Zaidi ruler had the power in Yemen, and the country was ruled by Ottoman Turks. |
Al-Mansur bi-Allah al-Qasim b. Muhammad b. 'Ali | 1006/1597-98 - 1029/1620 | He had important works and influential students. He is introduced as the reviver of Zaidi thoughts in that century. |
Al-Mu'ayyad bi-Allah Muhammad | 1029/1620 - 1054/1644-45 | - |
Al-Mutawakkil 'ala Allah Isma'il | 1054/1644-45 - 1087/1676-77 | After these two, for about two centuries, Zaidis had civil wars and this made Ottoman Turks to regain the power in Yemen. |
Al-Mansur bi-Allah Muhammad b. Yahya Hamid al-Din | d. 1322/1904-5 | - |
Al-Mutawakkil 'ala Allah Yahya | d. 1367/1947-48 | The fights began at the time of al-Mansur against Ottoman government were successful at his time and Yemen was released from Ottoman's control. |
Muhammad al-Badr | 1962 | He was disposed of power after a coup and it ends the government of Zaidis in Yemen. He fought the government of Yemen for eight years, but he failed and finally, he died near London. |