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Yemeni history has been dominated by two firces, geography and religion. The country is located in the mounbtsnious region at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula where it almost touches Africa. The Straits of Bab al Mandeb lead from the Arabian Sea to the Red Sea and Suez Canal. Thus Yemen has traditionally been an important trading center between the Middle East and Africa, important for a country with few natural resources. . Important commoditities included iviry, gold, and slaves. Yemen was an important link in the African slave trade. The second major force in Yemeni history has been religion. Many scholars separate Yemeni history into a pre- and post-Islamic period. The country became involved into a vicious civil war competing conservative factions allied with Saudi Arabia with Arab Socilist factions backed by Egypt. The country is today one of the poorest most backward Arab countries with little modern infrastructure. A basic question which must be addressed in Yemeni history is why the country is backward and poorly developed.
Yemeni scolars divivide ancient history into two periods. Civilization developed in three aras with connection to the Indian Ocean (Mesopotamia, Egypt, and India. While distant from all three early centers, Yemen was located on important trade routes , both ovedrland and maritime that meant that Yemeni spciety was exposed to these cultural influences.
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Trading was important frim the dawn of Yemneni history. The first era in Yemeni hishory is assoviated with the development of important trade routes. Key producr\ts in these early trade routes seem to have involved commerce in frankincense and myrrh. This trade was for a long period monopolized by the southern Arabians--the Sabean Kingdom. The Sabean Kingdom flot\rished 750-115 BC). . The ancient frankincense route led from southern Arabia north to Ghaza in Palestine. It was an inland caravan route extending about 3,400 Kms. This era ended with the decline of the eastern cultural centres (about 100 BC). This was in part caused by imprivenments in marine commerce and the establishment of direct sea route between Egypt and India.
The Sabean Kingdom was replaced by the Himyarites (115 BC). The second important era in Yemeni begins with the founding of the Himyar Kingdoms. This involved the rise of urban centers in the Yemeni high plateau. Christisanity and Judaism began to replace the largely animistic tribal cults (4th century AD). The Himur Kingdom declined (4th century).
The Ethiopians conquered the Himuar Kingdom (345).
The Persian Empire conquered Yemen (575). At the time it was not Islamic.
Yemeni history has since the over throw of Persian rule been dominated by Islam which reached Yemen at a very early stage in the Islamic era. The Prophet in fact was still alive when Islam reached Yemen. From the first conversions to modern times, Islam has been aajor force in Yemeni history.
Persian Govenor Badhan converted (628-30). Subsequently many of the Yemeni sheikhs and their tribes also converted.
Mohammed returned to Mecca, seizing control (630). The mosques in al Janad and the great mosque in Sana’a wertr built. With the conversion to Islam, Yemeni history became for cennturies essenntially that of al Arabia and the Caliphate.
The Capliphate becanme the cebter of all Islam. Yemen was, however, at the perifery of the Muslim world and the Caliphate had difficulty controling Yemen from Baghdad even at the peak of their power. As the power of the Caliphate declined so did control over Yemen. Thus local rulers ruled in Yemen with only nominal control by the Caliphate. The Caliphate and the heart of Islam was destroyed by the Mongols (13th century).
With the destruction of the Caliphate (13th century), Yemen was ruled by the vRassites--Immans of thecZaydi sect. Yemen was, however, subject to the influence of the powerful empires which could exert their influence to the south, the Mamelukes in Egypt and the Ottoman Empire. At time their control was substantial and at other times only nominal.
The Mamelukes in Egypt defeated the Mongols before they could permanently affect the Islamic culture of the Middle East. They also seized power in Egypt and exerted influence on Yemen.
The Ottomans defeated the Mamelukes and added Egypt to their empire (16th century). As with the Caliphate, the degree of effectrive Ottoman control over Yemen varied over time. Al Moka (Mocha) on the Red sea coast became the most important coffee port in the world. Yemen benefitted from Arab control of the Arabian Sea. This monopoly was broken with an Ottoiman-Arabian fleet was defeated at Diu (1509) by the Portuguese which led the European maritime outreach. This was of emense significance. Until the Portuguese entered the Indian Ocean, trade between the East and Europe had to go thorough Arab ports or land caravans passiung through Ottoman/Arab controlled caravan routes. Direct maritime trade with the Eadt significantly weakened the Ottoman Empire and Arab trading ports and strenghened the Europeans. Yemen was but one of the Arab principalities affected.
Expanding British sea power came to bare in Indian Ocean ports to end the slave trade and to safeguard sealanes with India. This was especially the cae with the opening of the Syez Canal. The British signed a series of treaties which became known as the south Arabian Protectorate. Even with the British firmly established at Aden, the Ottoman Sultan still had religious authority which in the Arab world has substabtial poliyical connotations.
The Ottomon Empire entered World War I on the side of the Central Powers. The British aided by the Arab Rebellion drove the Ottomans out og Palestine and Iraq. Otoomoan control of Yemen and Arabia was tenous even before the War. The Ottoman Empire was firmally dusolved after the War. The Kingdom of Yemen was established. Britain retained a naval base at Aden.
The Ottoman Empire was firmally dusolved after World War I. The Kingdom of Yemen was established. Imam Yahya ( a Zaidi Imam ) established the Kingdom (1918). Britain retained its naval base at Aden. The present boundaries were established (1934), but are still not well defined with Saudi Arabia. Yahya was succeeded by his eldest son Imam Ahmed. Yemnen joined the Arab League and the United Natiions (1947). Yemen joined the United Arab Republic with Egypt and Syria (1958-61). Ahmed ruled until his death (1962).
Imam Ahmed was succeeded by his son Crown Prince Mohammed al Badr. He was overthrown by a Pro Nasser revolutionary military coup. The revolutionaries founded the Yemen Arab Republic. The regime was headed by Co. Abdalla al Salal. Both the Soviet Union and the United States recoconized the regime.
Yemen discended into civil war. Egypt with Soviet arms supported the republicans. The Saudis supported the royalists. Egypt and Saudu Arabia sponsired a peace plan (1965). This did not, however, end the fighting. Britain granted Aden indeoendence (1967). The People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen was formed.
Yemen was finally unified (1990). The Yemen Arab Republic (North) joined with the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (South) to firm the Republic of Yemen.
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