The Ayyūbids and early Rasūlids in the Yemen (567-694 / 1173-1295). Vol. I-II (1974-1978)

The Ayyūbids and early Rasūlids in the Yemen (567-694 / 1173-1295). Vol. I: a critical edition of Kitāb as-Simṭ al-ġālī aṯ-ṯaman fī aḫbār al-mulūk min al-ġuzz bi’l-Yaman. London: Luzac & Co., 1974, VI+590 p.

The Ayyūbids and early Rasūlids in the Yemen (567-694 / 1173-1295). Vol. II: a study of Ibn Ḥātim’s Kitāb al-Simṭ including glossary, geographical and tribal indices and maps. London: Luzac & Co., 1978, XI+266 p.

This chronicle is the fullest and best historical source for the conquest of Yemen to the end of the 13th century.

In two volumes: Vol. I contains a critical edition of the Arabic text of Kitab al-Simt al-Ghali al-Thaman fi Akhbar al-Muluk min al-Ghuzz bi’l-Yaman, Badr al-Din Muhammad b. Hatim al-Yami al-Hamdani, Vol. II is a study of Ibn Hatim’s Kitab al-Simt.

Muhammad b. Hatim’s chronicle, which has not been published previously, is the fullest and best historical source on Yemen for the period it covers, from the conquest of Yemen by Saladin’s brother Turanshah to the author’s own time, by which the Rasulids, who had come to the country as followers of the Ayyubids, had replaced their old masters as its rulers. Ibn Hatim himself came from an Isma’ili tribe of the region of San’a. From the middle of the 13th century he often gives his own account of events and he soon became one of a group of leading Amirs involved in the management of affairs for the Rasulid Sultan al-Muzaffar and thus well informed of the political situation. His book was begun in 1295.

Vol. I contains the text of the Kitab al-Simt, edited on the basis of the three known manuscripts. Vol. II includes studies of the author and his work, and of aspects of the Yemeni history of the period, as well as a glossary, geographical and tribal indices and maps.

G. Rex Smith was Professor of Arabic in the University of Manchester with numerous publications on the Yemen.

Keywords: Rasulids, Rassoulides, Rasulidi, Rasuliden, Расулиды, Resûlîler, Rəsulilər, الدولة الرسولية, Dinasti Rasuliyah, Rassúlida, Dinasti Bani Rasul, خاندان رسول, Rasúlovci, השושלת הרסולית, ラスール朝, 拉蘇里王朝, Ibn Hatim, الأمير بدر الدين محمد بن حاتم بن أحمد ابن عمران بن الفضل اليامي اليماني الهمداني, Badr al-Dīn Muḥammad ibn Ḥātim al-Hamdānī, بن حاتم, İbn Hâtim, Bedrüddîn Muhammed b. Hâtim b. Ahmed b. İmrân b. el-Fazl el-Yâmî el-Hemdânî, محمد بن حاتم اليامي اليماني الهمداني, Kitāb al-Simṭ al-ghālī al-thaman fī akhbār al-mulūk min al-Ghuzz bi’l-Yaman, es-Simṭü’l-ġāli’s̱-s̱emen fî aḫbâri’l-mülûk mine’l-Ġuz bi’l-Yemen, كتاب السمي, Yemen’de Oğuz meliklerinin tarihi, Ibne Hatim, Badradim Maomé ibne Hatim Alhandani, كتاب السمط الغالي الثمن في أخبار الملوك من الغز باليمن.