sultanate · Arabia and the Gulf
Mahra Sultanate
Origins
The Mahra, a people speaking a Modern South Arabian language rather than Arabic, lived in the far east of Yemen and on Socotra. In the 15th century the Afrar family established a sultanate ruling Qishn on the mainland and the island of Socotra, with a seat at Tamrida (modern Hadibu).
Rule and society
The sultanate was loose, depending on tribal loyalty and revenues from frankincense, aloes, livestock and ship traffic. In 1507 the Portuguese seized Socotra and held it until 1511. In 1886 the sultan signed a protection treaty with Britain, and the sultanate became part of the Aden Protectorate, with Socotra valued for its position on shipping routes. Mehri and Soqotri are still spoken.
Decline and legacy
After the National Liberation Front took over the region in 1967, the sultanate was abolished and incorporated into South Yemen, later the Republic of Yemen.
Lineage
On the connections map
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- Mahra Sultanate was part of Aden Protectorate1886 CE – 1967 CE
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Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Mahra Sultanate. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/mahra-sultanate
- MLA
- “Mahra Sultanate.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/mahra-sultanate. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Mahra Sultanate.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/mahra-sultanate.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Mahra Sultanate’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/mahra-sultanate (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻