Muzayqiya

Muzayqiya was the leader of the Azd tribes and a king ruling parts of Yemen in the 2nd century CE. Muzayqiya succeeded his brother Imran in the leadership of the kingdom. During his time, the Ma'rib Dam collapsed which resulted in several Qahtanite tribes emigrating from Yemen.

Biography Family Muzayqiya's real name was 'Amr, and his father was the patriarch 'Amir Ma' as-Sama. He also had a brother named Imran, whom he succeeded in leadership of Kahlan. Hisham ibn al-Kalbi extended his lineage further and indicated he was from the Kahlan tribe as well as a descendant of ancient Arabian patriarch Qahtan.

The descendants of Muzayqiya, from each of his sons, include: From Jafnah – The Ghassanids From Tha'laba – The Aws and Khazraj tribes

Rule The rule of Muzayqiya has been dated to the 2nd century CE. He became ruler after his brother, the priest-king Imran ibn 'Amir, had died. However, in the final years of his reign, the Ma'rib Dam became neglected and then collapsed, resulting in several of the Qahtanite tribes evacuating from Yemen, and emigrating to other places in the Arabian Peninsula or the Levantine regions. This is supported by historical inscriptions, for example the Sabaean king Ilīsharaḥ Yaḥḍub is recorded as having sent a delegation to a certain king of Ghassan and Azd. This might have referred to the sons of Muzayqiya who ruled other parts of Yemen except for the territory of Saba' itself. Map of the Arabian Peninsula by Francesco Berlinghieri, based on Ptolemy's work. The Ghassanids are seen in the western part of the peninsula; under the name Casaniti. Evidence for the mass emigration from Yemen has been found as well. Ibn Abd Rabbih narrated that the Ghassanids, including Jafnah ibn Amr, received the name "Ghassan" due to an abundant water source near the place they emigrated to. Ptolemy identifies the Ghassanids as living at a place not far from the mouth of a river that is connected to the ocean.

The collapse of the Ma'rib Dam is documented in several inscriptions from the reign of Dhamar Ali Yahbur in the 2nd century CE. A second collapse of the dam is mentioned during the reign of the Himyarite king Sharhabil Ya'fur in 454 CE.