A (sort of) Matriarchal Dynasty: Asma and Arwa al-Sulayhi

Sistory Untold

It's rare to come across a dynasty that was ruled entirely by women, but we were lucky enough to find one for this episode! Asma Bint Shihab al-Sulayhi and Arwa al-Sulayhi ruled Yemen alongside and often in place of their husbands, the king. Asma was Arwa's cousin, mentor, teacher, mother-in-law and guardian. In other words, she was the best big sister a queen-to-be could ask for. We hope you enjoy our first episode of season two as we learn about the Fatimid caliphate of the medieval Middle East and North Africa, discuss the role of women in medieval Arab culture, and, as always, explore history through the eyes of sisterhood! For more information about this episode and to stay up to date about the podcast, follow us at @sistoryuntold on Instagram and Twitter. Make sure to also check out our blog on sistoryuntold.com for our sources and pictures to go along with the episode!