Sayyida Hurra: The Ismaili Sulayhid Queen of Yemen

Keywords: Sayyida Hurra, Sulayhid, Yemen, Fatimid, education of women, Sitt al-Mulk, Adris ‘Imad al-Din, Uyun, al-akhbar, Sulayman, Sulayhi, al-Afdal

Abstract: This article explores the career of queen Sayyida Hurra, she was the political and religious leader of Sulayhid Yemen, which was an extremely rare occurrence and privilege for a woman in Fatimid times. Hurra was closely linked with the Ismaili da�wa in Cairo, and rose up the ranks of the Fatimid da�wa to receive the rank of hujja. Hurra was the first woman in the history of Ismailism to gain high rank in the Ismaili hierarchy, thus making this appointment a unique event. Daftary traces other events such as the Musta�li-Nizari split and looks at how Hurra dealt with these incidents and the implications for the Ismaili da�wa.