An-Nasir Muhammad bin Abdallah

Izz ad-Din Muhammad was born in Baraqish as the son of the imam al-Mansur Abdallah, who died in 1217 after a lengthy struggle against the encroaching Ayyubids. A sub-branch of the Ayyubid Dynasty had been established as the main political power in Yemen since 1173. After the death of al-Mansur in Kawkaban, Izz ad-Din Muhammad was proclaimed as imam under the name an-Nasir Muhammad. However, he was just an imam muhtasib, meaning that he was only qualified to protect the community, but not to lead the public prayer or pass legal sentences.^[1] Moreover, the Ayyubids renewed their military offensive after al-Mansur's demise. The troops of Sultan al-Malik al-Ma'sud marched into San'a, Zahir, Huth and Jawf in 1217–1218. In 1220 the sultan made a treaty with an-Nasir Muhammad's faction.^[2] There was furthermore dissention within the Zaidi camp. An-Nasir Muhammad was only acknowledged in the southern parts of the Zaidi territory in the Yemeni highlands. Al-Hadi Yahya, from another branch of the Rassids, kept power as imam in Sa'dah in the north.