ABSTRACT
At this period of Islamic history, after the early phases of swift conquest, the immense Khalifate was breaking up into independent sovereign states. The Yemen seems to have been among the first to separate itself. Its new ruler claimed descent from 'Ali, and as that Khalif had been styled "Seif Allah" (" the Sword of God "), the new prince of the Yemen is said to have adopted the title " Seif al Khulifah" (" Sword of the Khalifs") and to have chosen as his
1 Detailed accounts: Playfair, "History of Yemen ", 1859, and Harris, "A Journey through the Yemen ", 1893.
