Mukarrib (Mukrab, Karab), a religious title that means "near to God", was used by rulers of Saba' until Karib'il Watar changed his title to Malik at the time of the kingdom of Saba' and Dhu Raydan that was established between Himyarites and Sabaeans, both descending from ancient South Arabian patriarch Qahtan.[1] The title Tubba, which means "the one who follows the sun like a shadow" was used by Himyarites to refer to their rulers.[2]
King of Saba', Dhu Raydan, Hadramawt, Yamnat and their Arabs, on Tawdum (the high plateau) and Tihamat
This period of time is most famously featured in Arabian legends, with some of the kings on this list being revered as heroes or vilified as villains. This is also the last period of native Yemeni rule, and the first period of Aksumite rule over Yemen. During this period, Judaism became the state religion of Himyar.
Son of (97). He is the first to become the official King of Saba', Dhu Raydan, Hadramawt, Yamnat and their Arabs, on Tawdum (the high plateau) and Tihamat. First king to officially convert to Judaism in Yemen and enforce it as a state religion. Arab traditions relate that he was the first to put a covering over the Kaaba.
Son of (101). first king recorded to have executed Christian missionaries in his lands to avoid Byzantine influence. [4] Some sources name him as “Tubba' ibn al-Hassan” which implies he was not the son of (101) but rather the son of (100).
104
Mu'di Karab Yan'im
Son of (103), ruled alongside his father and went on military campaigns together with him.
105
Marthad'ilan Yun'im
480–485
No information is known about him except for a single inscription labelled "YM 1200" in the corpus of South Arabian inscriptions.[5]
Assassinated (107) and became the ruler. Experienced a brief interruption by an Aksumite conquest which he later overpowered and forced out of Yemen. He was the last native Jewish-convert ruler of Himyar to have full power over his country. His origins are not clear, Arabian legends identity him as being son of (99) yet other Islamic narrations state him to be son of (101) or (103).
Appointed by Kaleb after the demise of (110) and the ultimate Aksumite conquest of Yemen. A convert to Christianity and the first Christian ruler of Himyar.
A native prince of the Du Yazan dynasty, he was reinstated as a vassal king by the Sassanians after (113) was killed. He was later murdered; stabbed to death by Ethiopian assailants. Some sources have stated that he was the son of (111) and the half-brother of (112). Commonly known by his legendary title, Sayf ibn Dhi-Yazan.
114
Ma'di-Karib
575/578–unknown
Became the next vassal king after his father (113) was assassinated. Assisted by Sassanid military general Wahrez, who was his governor.
