Al-Hira

Al-Hîra is a town of Iraq located on Right Bank of the Euphrate at 18 km at the south-east of Nadjaf.

History

Al-Hîra was already a rather important city before the Islamic era. It was in the beginning a military camping. It became the capitals of Lakhmides with 5th and 6th centuries.

Arab populations continued a migration towards the Middle East since centuries. The local population comprised well before the Islam of good proportions of Arabic. The Sassanides called Arabistan the south of Iraq. One of the first Arab kingdoms apart from Arabia was established with Al-Hîra. The local dynasty of Lakhmides was vassal of Sassanides since Shapur II (337 - 358). Lakhmides had the role of protecting the Sassanide empire from the incursions of the other Arab tribes.

Al-Hîra Christian, was at least strongly christianized. It was the seat of one évêché Nestorien. The tradition tells that the Arab writing developed there.

The emperor Sassanide Vahram V seizes the power with the support of the prince Lakhmide Al-Mondir in 420.

In 542, Khosro I {{er}} of Perse stops the Byzantine general Bélisaire with Callinicum in the south of Emèse but with the assistance of Al-Hîra.

The Byzantine empire created on the territory of the current Syria another competitor Arab Al-Hîra kingdom, it is the kingdom of the Ghassanides. The two kingdoms were made the war for the account of their respective suzerain.

In 602, Khosro II shift Numan III prince of Al-Hîra and appendix his territory with the empire.

In 633, the city goes easily to the Moslem troops ordered by Khâlid Ibn Al-Walîd which saves the city against the payment of a tribute.

Later the city lost of its importance, competed with by Koufa.

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