Origins & Early Life

Imruʾ al-Qais Junduh bin Hujr al-Kindi (Arabic: ٱمْرُؤ ٱلْقَيْس حُنْدُج ٱبْن حَجْر ٱلْكِنْدِيّ, romanized: Imruʾ al-Qays Hunduj ibn Ḥujr al-Kindiyy) was a pre-Islamic Arabian poet from Najd in the late fifth and early sixth centuries, and the last King of Kinda. He is sometimes considered the father of Arabic poetry. His qaṣīda, or long poem, "Let us stop and weep" (قفا نبك qifā nabki) is one of the seven Mu'allaqat, poems prized as the best examples of pre-Islamic Arabian verse. His father was said to be Hujr bin al-Harith (حجر ابن الحارث Ḥujr ibn al-Ḥārith), the Kindan regent over the Arab tribes of Asad and Ghatafan, and it is believed that Imru' al-Qais was born in the territory of Asad.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His mother was said to be Fatimah bint Rabi'ah al-Taghlibi (فاطمة بنت ربيعة التغلبي / Fāṭimah bint Rabī‘ah al-Taghlibī). Legend has it that Imru' al-Qais was the youngest of his father's sons, and began composing poetry while he was still a child. His father strongly disapproved of this habit in his son, believing poetry to be an unseemly pastime for the son of a king. His father also disapproved of Imru' al-Qais' scandalous lifestyle of drinking and chasing women and eventually banished him...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Daṇḍin — Contemporary (Born in 501) (501): Master Sanskrit grammarian and author of influential Indian prose romances.
• Khosrow I — Contemporary (Born in 501) (501): Sasanian King of Kings who reigned from 531 to 579 CE, known for military prowess.
• Zu Chongzhi — Contemporary (Died in 501) (501): Pioneering Chinese mathematician and astronomer, renowned for calculating pi to unprecedented accuracy.
• Dionysius Exiguus — Contemporary (Died in 544) (544): 6th-century monk credited with inventing the Anno Domini (AD) dating system.
• Attila — Contemporary figure (Born in 500) (500): The feared ruler of the Huns, known as the Scourge of God.
• Borzuya — Contemporary figure (Born in 500) (500): A prominent Persian physician and translator from the late Sasanian era.
• Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei — Contemporary figure (Died in 499) (499): Emperor of Northern Wei, known for the equal-field system and sinicization policies.
• Belisarius — Contemporary figure (Born in 505) (505): Great Byzantine general instrumental in the reconquest of the Western Roman Empire.
• 501 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 501
• 544 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 544