Abraha
| Abraha | |
|---|---|
| King of Himyar | |
14th-century Persian illustration of Abraha on his attempted destruction of the Kaaba, taken from a "Tarikhnama" (history book). | |
| Tenure | 535–553/570 |
| Predecessor | Sumyafa Ashwa |
| Successor | Yaksum ibn Abraha |
| Born | Kingdom of Aksum |
| Died | c. 570 Arabian Peninsula |
| Issue | Yaksum, Masruq |
| Religion | Christianity |
Abraha (Ge’ez: አብርሃ) (also spelled Abreha, died presumably 570 CE) was an Aksumite military leader who controlled the Kingdom of Himyar (modern-day Yemen) and a large part of Arabia for over 30 years in the 6th century. Originally a general in the Aksumite army that invaded Yemen around 525 CE, Abraha seized power by deposing the Christian Himyarite king installed by Kaleb. He is famous for the tradition of his attempt to destroy the Kaaba, a revered religious site in Mecca, using an army that included war elephants, an event known as Year of the Elephant.