70-510: 12°46′48″N 45°02′59″E / 12.780044°N 45.049821°E / 12.780044; 45.049821 Sira Fortress/Castle (قلعة صيرة) is a military site in Aden , Yemen . The original fortress dates to the 11th century, and is still in use today by the Yemeni military . The fort is located on Sira Island, a rocky and tall volcanic outcropping which dominates the old harbor of Aden. Although it
140-641: A "state of emergency" was declared. In 1964, Britain announced its intention to grant independence to the FSA in 1968, but that the British military would remain in Aden. The security situation deteriorated as NLF and FLOSY ( Front for the Liberation of Occupied South Yemen ) vied for the upper hand. In January 1967, there were mass riots between the NLF and their rival FLOSY supporters in
210-624: A British-planned town; and Madinat ash-Sha'b (formerly Madinat al-Ittihad), the former capital of the South Arabian Federation , now housing a large power/ desalination facility and additional Aden University faculties. Aden encloses the eastern side of a vast, natural harbour that constitutes the modern port. A long time ago this necessitated the existence of Aden's reservoirs, the Cisterns of Tawila . As described by 14th century scholar Ibn Battuta , "These reservoirs accumulate rainwater for
280-579: A factory in Crater and allocate a special cemetery for English subjects free of charge. The Abdali wanted English protection from the tribes. Sultan Fadl bin Ali was killed by Yafi’ gunmen, then one of the sheikhs of Al-Hujariya invaded Lahj and besieged it for five months. Al-Awaliq also besieged it with eight thousand fighters, and they did not leave until Sultan Ahmed bin Abdul Karim paid them seven thousand dollars. Then
350-518: A more solid form began, and ever since Aden became a popular city attracting sailors and merchants from Egypt , Sindh , Gujarat , East Africa and even China . According to Muqaddasi , Persians formed the majority of Aden's population in the 10th century. During the Ayyubid period in Yemen, Sana'a and its environs were more hostile to their presence than other regions. The Zaidi tribes were able to defeat
420-669: A naval force was sent from Great Britain, with a detachment of troops from India, to occupy the island of Perim and prevent all communication of the French in Egypt with the Indian Ocean, by way of the Red Sea. The island of Perim was found unsuitable for troops, and the Sultan of Lahej, Ahmed bin Abdul Karim, received the detachment for some time at Aden. He proposed to enter into an alliance and to grant Aden as
490-477: A new country with a collapsed economy. Civilian workers and businessmen left, and English support stopped. The closure of the Suez Canal in 1967 played an important role in the country’s economy, as it reduced the number of ships crossing Aden by 75%. The new state was divided into six governorates on December 11, 1967, in order to end the manifestations of tribalism in the state and ignore the tribal borders between
560-618: A permanent station, but the offer was declined. A Treaty was, however, concluded with the Sultan in 1802 by Admiral Sir Home Popham, who was instructed to enter into political and commercial alliances with the Chiefs oil the Arabian coast of the Red Sea. The situation was different in the north of the country, where the Zaidis did not recognize the authority of the Ottomans and revolted against them many times,
630-515: A practical approach, so he communicated with the President of North Yemen, Ibrahim al-Hamdi, and he wanted normal relations with Western countries. During his reign, relations between South Yemen and Saudi Arabia were established in 1976. President Salmin, as he is known, coveted more Soviet support, so the contract with Saudi Arabia worried him. The Soviets pushed them to increase aid, but relations with Saudi Arabia became strained again in 1977 following
700-557: A small number of government officials and the East India Company officials thought that a British base in the area was necessary to prevent another French advance through Egypt or Russian expansion through Persia . The emergence of Muhammad Ali of Egypt as a strong local ruler only increased their concerns. The governor of Bombay from 1834 to 1838, Sir Robert Grant , was one of those who believed that India could only be protected by preemptively seizing "places of strength" to protect
770-560: A team of two to the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia . In order to stabilize Aden and the surrounding Aden Protectorate from the designs of the Egyptian backed republicans of North Yemen , the British attempted to gradually unite the disparate states of the region in preparation for eventual independence. On 18 January 1963, the Colony of Aden was incorporated into
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#1732901650728840-491: A way-station for seamen in the ancient world. There, supplies, particularly water, were replenished, so, in the mid-19th century, it became necessary to replenish coal and boiler water. Thus Aden acquired a coaling station at Steamer Point and Aden was to remain under British control until November 1967. Until 1937, Aden was governed as part of British India and was known as the Aden Settlement . Its original territory
910-542: Is added to Abyan , which is the opposite of Aden in its entirety. Ibn Manzur said: “It is a country on the edge of the sea in the farthest part of Yemen.” Ibn Khaldun said: “This Aden is one of the most fortified cities in Yemen, and it is on the bank of the Indian Sea. It is still a country of trade from the time of the Trabaids, and most of them were built with stones, which is why silk merchants visit it often.” Aden
980-486: Is an ancient port and was mentioned by the Greeks under the name ( Ancient Greek : Αραβία Εμπόριον , romanized : Arabia Emporion ), which means an Arabic trade port. The port's convenient position on the sea route between India and Europe has made Aden desirable to rulers who sought to possess it at various times throughout history. Known as Eudaemon ( Ancient Greek : Ευδαίμων , meaning "blissful, prosperous,") in
1050-487: Is no mention of fortification at this stage, Aden was more an island than a peninsula as the isthmus (a tombolo ) was not then so developed as it is today. Aden was explicitly mentioned by this name in the Book of Ezekiel , which talks about Jerusalem, and it says: "The merchants of Sheba and Raamah are your merchants. They set up your markets with the finest perfumes and every precious stone and gold. Harran, Qena, and Aden are
1120-416: Is referred to as a castle quite often, it is less of a castle and more of a fortification. Much of the fort's history is unknown, especially since there have been few archaeological studies done of the area. One theory is that construction was initiated around the year 1173 by a Turkish ruler of Aden named Prince Othman Al-Zangabili Al-Takriti . The fortress was proven during subsequent attacks against Aden by
1190-715: The 1994 Yemeni Civil War . It was declared in May 1994 and covered all of the former South Yemen . The DRY, with its capital in Aden , was led by President Ali Salim al-Beidh and Prime Minister Haidar Abu Bakr al-Attas and represented a response to the weakening position of the South in the civil war of 1994. The new state failed to receive international recognition. Its leaders, in addition to Yemeni Socialist Party figures such as al-Beidh and Attas, included some prominent personalities from South Yemeni history such as Abdallah al-Asnaj, who had been strenuously opposed to YSP one-party rule in
1260-463: The 2014 Coup d'état , hosting some members of the Cabinet of Yemen mainly in al-Maashiq Palace . It is also the seat of the secessionist Southern Transitional Council , which exercises control over the city. Aden is a home and a place for ships, and the word Aden means reside in the place, so the word “Aden” means resident, and it is said “Aden Al-Balad,” meaning the settlement of the country. Among
1330-672: The British . On 19 January 1839, the British East India Company landed Royal Marines at Aden to secure the territory and stop attacks by pirates against British shipping to India. In 1850 it was declared a free trade port, with the liquor, salt, arms, and opium trades developing duties as it won all the coffee trade from Mokha . The port lies about equidistant from the Suez Canal , Bombay , and Zanzibar , which were all important British possessions . Aden had been an entrepôt and
1400-503: The FSA 1963–1967 [REDACTED] South Yemen 1967–1990 [REDACTED] Republic of Yemen 1990–1994 [REDACTED] Democratic Republic of Yemen 1994 [REDACTED] Republic of Yemen 1994–present Aden ( Arabic : عَدَنْ , romanized : ʿAdan , Old South Arabian : 𐩲𐩵𐩬) is a port city located in Yemen in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula, positioned near
1470-723: The Federation of Arab Emirates of the South against the wishes of North Yemen. The city became the State of Aden and the Federation was renamed the Federation of South Arabia (FSA). An insurgency against British administration known as the Aden Emergency began with a grenade attack by the communist National Liberation Front (NLF), against the British High Commissioner on 10 December 1963, killing one person and injuring fifty, and
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#17329016507281540-697: The Hadhramaut make it clear that both the Himyar and the Sabean cultures were well capable of it. Thus, watchtowers, since destroyed, are possible. However, the Arab historians Ibn al Mujawir and Abu Makhramah attribute the first fortification of Aden to Beni Zuree'a. Abu Makhramah has also included a detailed biography of Muhammad Azim Sultan Qamarbandi Naqsh in his work, Tarikh ul-Yemen. The aim seems to have been twofold: to keep hostile forces out and to maintain revenue by controlling
1610-507: The Indian Ocean and Europe. Thus, a ship passing from Suez to Bombay could leave mail for Mombasa at Aden for collection (See Postage stamps and postal history of Aden ). The 1947 Aden riots saw more than 80 Jews killed, their property looted and schools burned by a Muslim mob. After the Suez Crisis in 1956, Aden became the main location in the region for the British. Aden sent
1680-566: The Portuguese and especially the Turks in 1517. Although the ancient harbor began to silt up and the primary commercial center eventually moved to the other side of the Aden Peninsula , the British continued to develop and garrison the fortress after their arrival in 1839. It is about a 15 minute walk up the stairs and can be considered a bit steep. It is one of the most common tourist attractions in
1750-793: The Yafi tribes to rebel against the Zaidi imams and monopolize Aden's revenues equally among them. The Sultan of Lahej got rid of the imams, but he did not fulfill his promise to Yafa. The Zaidi imams did not recognize inheritance and saw fighting for the imamate, so the war between Al-Nasir Muhammad bin Ishaq and Al-Mansur Al-Hussein bin Al-Mutawakkil prolonged, so Al-Abdali took the opportunity to declare his independence in Lahej and Aden. The English had been visiting Aden and Mocha from 1609, led by Sir Henry Middleton , who
1820-508: The 1st century BC, it was a transshipping point for the Red Sea trade, but fell on hard times when new shipping practices by-passed it and made the daring direct crossing to India in the 1st century AD, according to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea . The same work describes Aden as "a village by the shore," which would well describe the town of Crater while it was still little-developed. There
1890-503: The Al Buraiqa District. Before gaining independence, Aden comprised distinct sub-centers: Crater, the original port; Ma'alla, the modern port; Tawahi, formerly "Steamer Point"; and Gold Mohur resorts. Khormaksar, on the isthmus connecting Aden to the mainland, hosts diplomatic missions, Aden University's main offices, and Aden International Airport. On the mainland, sub-centers include Sheikh Othman, an old oasis area; Al-Mansura,
1960-644: The Ayyubids in 1226, but Omar bin Rasul, the founder of the Rasulid state , was able to repel them, so he tightened his control over Aden. The city regained its position during the days of the Rasulids, so they dug wells and built schools, and Aden flourished commercially. The kings of Bani Rasul were also merchants and enacted a number of laws and regulations to codify trade in the city. The Banu Tahir were able to control Aden after
2030-827: The Ayyubids’ control of the city. A major battle took place between Turan Shah bin Ayyub and Yasser bin Bilal al-Muhammadi, Minister of State, and the Zurayiyyah were defeated and al-Muhammadi fled to Taiz. One of the most important reasons that contributed to the defeat of the Zurayids was their ongoing wars with the Bani Mahdi in Tihama and the departure of their army to confront the Ayyubids instead of fortifying themselves in Aden. After 1175, rebuilding in
2100-645: The Banu Rasool, and the Italian traveler Lodovico di Verthama describes it as one of the most powerful cities seen on Earth during the days of the Tahirids . The Portuguese began expanding into the Indian Ocean and by 1498 they realized that Aden was their key to entering the Red Sea. The Mamluks in Egypt sensed the danger and sent a force led by Hussein al-Kurdi. The victorious King Amer bin Abdul Wahhab provided great aid to
2170-621: The Christians of Najran. The fleet entered through Aden. Byzantine sources indicate that the Sasanian Empire took control of the city in 671 AD. A local legend in Yemen states that Aden may be as old as human history itself. Some also believe that Cain and Abel are buried somewhere in the city. Although the pre-Islamic Himyar civilization was capable of building large structures, there seems to have been little fortification at this stage. Fortifications at Mareb and other places in Yemen and
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2240-500: The Fadl family attacked Aden in 1836. In 1609 The Ascension was the first English ship to visit Aden, before sailing on to Mocha during the fourth voyage of the East India Company . British interests in Aden began in 1796 with Napoleon's invasion of Egypt, after which a British fleet docked at Aden for several months at the invitation of the sultan. The French were defeated in Egypt in 1801, and their privateers were tracked down over
2310-611: The Indian Ocean. The Red Sea increased in importance after the steamship Hugh Lindsay sailed from Bombay to the Suez isthmus in 1830, stopping at Aden with the sultan's consent to resupply with coal. Although cargo was still carried around the Cape of Good Hope in sailing ships, a steam route to the Suez could provide a much quicker option for transporting officials and important communications. Grant felt that armed ships steaming regularly between Bombay and Suez would help secure British interests in
2380-566: The Indian Ocean. The Roman governor of Egypt, Aelius Gallus, was sent in 25 BC. The campaign ended with disastrous results and the annihilation of the Roman army in front of the walls of Ma'rib. The Himyarites overthrew the Kingdom of Sheba in 275 AD and took control of Aden. Recent incomplete archaeological studies suggest that the Himyarites were the ones who built the huge water cisterns currently known as
2450-630: The Kingdom of Sheba, launched a campaign against Osan during which, according to the Sabaean texts, sixteen thousand people were killed, forty thousand people were enslaved, and the kings of Awsan made offerings to the god. al-Maqah , according to the inscription that Karbiel Watar I left in Sirwah , commemorating his victory. In the second half of the first century BC, the Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar determined to control Arabia Felix and reach
2520-767: The Kurds, but he suffered a heavy defeat in the Battle of Diu. The Mamluks sent a second fleet, but the victorious king refused to cooperate with the Mamluks because he had succeeded in repelling the Portuguese from Aden without their help. Hussein al-Kurdi became angry and allied with the Zaidi Imam, who was opposed to the Tahirids, al-Mutawakkil Sharaf al-Din, and the Tahirid cities fell successively, with
2590-525: The National Front with the Front for the Liberation of Occupied South Yemen , where the leftist section was more numerous than the supporters of the popular Qahtan. They wanted a regime that would lead the masses and face the great challenges facing the new state, the most important of which was the bankruptcy of the treasury. Qahtan al-Shaabi dismissed Interior Minister Muhammad Ali Haitham on June 16, 1969, but
2660-680: The Palestinians and the Dhofar Revolution, and strengthening its relationship with the Soviet Union. West Germany severed its relationship with the state due to its recognition of East Germany, and the United States also severed its relationship in October 1969. The new powers issued a new constitution, nationalized foreign banks and insurance companies, and changed the name of the country. The state
2730-422: The air with no survivors. The increased violence was a determining factor in the British ensuring all families were evacuated more quickly than initially intended, as recorded in From Barren Rocks to Living Stones . On 30 November 1967, British troops were evacuated, leaving Aden and the rest of the FSA under NLF control. The Royal Marines , who had been the first British troops to arrive in Aden in 1839, were
2800-401: The assassination of North Yemeni President Ibrahim al-Hamdi. It is believed that Salem Rabie Ali orchestrated the assassination of Ahmed Hussein al-Ghashmi in revenge for Ibrahim al-Hamdi. Salem Rabie Ali was subjected to a quick trial that ended with his execution and Abdel Fattah Ismail assuming the presidency of South Yemen. Relations with North Yemen became tense, due to Fattah’s support for
2870-405: The capital of Aden Governorate which covered an area similar to that of the Aden Colony. Democratic Republic of Yemen – in Asia (tan & white) – in South Arabia (tan) The Democratic Republic of Yemen ( Arabic : جمهورية اليمن الديمقراطية Jumhūrīyat al-Yaman ad-Dīmuqrāṭīyah ), was a breakaway state that fought against the mainland Yemen in
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2940-1199: The city of Aden. This article about a location in Yemen is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Aden English (Widely used) [REDACTED] Kingdom of Awsan [REDACTED] Himyarite Kingdom [REDACTED] Kingdom of Aksum [REDACTED] Sasanian Yemen [REDACTED] First Islamic state [REDACTED] Rashidun Caliphate [REDACTED] Umayyad Caliphate [REDACTED] Abbasid Caliphate [REDACTED] Ziyadid dynasty [REDACTED] Najahid dynasty [REDACTED] Sulayhid dynasty [REDACTED] Zurayid dynasty [REDACTED] Ayyubid dynasty [REDACTED] Rasulid dynasty [REDACTED] Tahirid Sultanate [REDACTED] Mamluk Sultanate [REDACTED] Portuguese Aden [REDACTED] Yemen Eyalet [REDACTED] Qasimid State [REDACTED] Yemen Vilayet [REDACTED] Qasimid State [REDACTED] Sultanate of Lahej 1728–1839 [REDACTED] Aden Province 1839–1937 [REDACTED] Aden Colony 1937–1963 [REDACTED] Aden protectorate 1937–1963 [REDACTED] [REDACTED] State of Aden within
3010-438: The death of Ali bin Muhammad Al-Sulayhi , his son took charge of Zurayids , and Aden continued to pay the annual royalty until Queen Arwa bint Ahmed Al-Sulayhi reduced it. After the fall of the Sulayhid state, the Banu Zurayi became independent in Aden, taking advantage of the Sulayhids’ preoccupation with the Khawlan tribes. The Zurayites continued to rule Aden, Lahj, and Abyan for less than forty years until they fell under
3080-441: The defunct sheikhdoms. On March 20, 1968, Qahtan dismissed all leftist leaders from the government and party membership. He was able to put down a rebellion led by leftist factions in the army in May of the same year, and faced new rebellions from leftist parties in July, August and December of 1968. This is because all Arab countries welcomed the front. National Liberation received a cold reception. Regimes like Egypt wanted to merge
3150-443: The eastern approach to the Red Sea . It is situated approximately 170 km (110 mi) east of the Bab-el-Mandeb strait and north of the Gulf of Aden . With its strategic location on the coastline, Aden serves as a gateway between the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, making it a crucial maritime hub connecting Africa , Asia , and the Middle East . As of 2023, Aden City has a population of approximately 1,080,000 residents, making it one of
3220-447: The exception of Aden. The Ottoman Empire took control of the city in 1538. The Ottomans' goal was to prevent the Portuguese from controlling Aden, so the city witnessed difficult days, in addition to the fact that the port of Mocha gained greater importance at the expense of Aden during the sixteenth century. The city's population declined and it turned into a small village with a population of no more than 600 people. While its population
3290-406: The expense of the Front for the Liberation of Occupied South Yemen, whose members were divided between joining the National Front or leaving for North Yemen, so Abdullah Al-Asanj and Muhammad Basindwa left for North Yemen. Qahtan al-Sha'bi assumed the presidency of the new state, and the sheikhdoms of the Eastern Protectorate of Hadramaut and Al-Mahra were annexed to the new state. Al-Shaabi took over
3360-426: The factions opposing Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was more fanatical than his predecessors. Relations with the Soviet Union became active in an unprecedented way, so the Front War broke out in 1978, in which the Soviet Union and the United States intervened. Ali Nasser Muhammad was able to force Abd al-Fattah Ismail al-Jawfi to resign for “health reasons,” and Ismail was exiled to Moscow less than two years after he assumed
3430-414: The former People's Democratic Republic of Yemen . The secession followed several weeks of fighting, which began on 27 April and lasted from 21 May 1994 until 7 July 1994. The civil war ended by the DRY strongholds of Mukalla and Aden falling to government forces. 12°48′00″N 45°01′59″E / 12.8000°N 45.0330°E / 12.8000; 45.0330 This Yemen -related article
3500-446: The largest cities in Yemen. Aden is divided into eight districts: Tawahi , Mualla , Crater , Khur Maksar , Al Mansura , Dar Sad , Sheikh Othman , and Al Buraiqa . These form today's Aden Governorate. During British Colonialism, Aden referred to the area along the north coast of the Gulf of Aden, encompassing Tawahi, Mualla, Crater, and much of Khur Maksar District. The western harbor peninsula, known as Little Aden, now falls within
3570-400: The last to leave – with the exception of a Royal Engineer detachment ( 10 Airfields Squadron left Aden on 13 December 1967). As part of a larger Royal Navy task force , HMS Albion 's helicopters lifted off remaining Royal Marine commandos left to secure the airfield. The last British soldier left Aden on November 30, 1967, and the National Liberation Front had the upper hand at
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#17329016507283640-506: The latter, with his ties to the tribes and the army, reassembled the leftist forces that had been dispersed by President Qahtan al-Shaabi, and they were able to arrest him and place him under house arrest on June 22 of the same year. A presidential committee was formed from Five people: Salem Rabie Ali, who became president, Muhammad Saleh Al-Awlaki, Ali Antar, Abdel Fattah Ismail, and Muhammad Ali Haitham, who became prime minister. This group took an extreme leftist line, declaring its support for
3710-415: The merchants of Sheba, and Assyria and Kilmud are your merchants." At its beginning, the city was a small peninsula with no significant natural resources, but its location between Egypt and India made it important in the ancient global trade route. The city was the home of the ancient Kingdom of Osan from the eighth to seventh centuries BC. In the beginning of the seventh century BC, Karbil Watar I , king of
3780-409: The most recent of which was the revolution of Imam Al-Mansur Billah Al-Qasim bin Muhammad bin Al-Qasim , who and his son Al-Mu'ayyad Billah Muhammad were able to unite the tribes and expel the Ottomans. The imams relied on the revenues from the port of Mocha , and Aden was not as important as the Abadlahs were. At the end of the eighteenth century, Sultan Fadl al-Abdali concluded an alliance with
3850-411: The movement of goods, thereby preventing smuggling. In its original form, some of this work was relatively feeble. With the introduction of Islam to Yemen in the seventh century AD, Aden experienced a period of stagnation that lasted until the ninth century AD. In the early years of Islam, Aden belonged to the province of Jund (Taiz). It was controlled by the state of Ziyadid and the Sulayhid . After
3920-435: The old Arab quarter of Aden town. This conflict continued until mid February, despite the intervention of British troops. On 20 June 1967, 23 British Army soldiers were ambushed and shot dead by members of Aden Police during the Aden Mutiny in the Crater District. During the period there were as many attacks on the British troops by both sides as against each other culminating in the destruction of an Aden Airways DC3 plane in
3990-424: The presidency. Despite the approach of the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen and its removal of tribal aspects, the tribe remained alive among politicians and the public despite the exposure of its sheikhs. Tribes from their authorities. Tribal and regional favoritism and nepotism remained in southern Yemen, as political forces called on their tribal and regional affiliations during crises. By January 1986, Aden
4060-526: The region and did all he could to progress his vision. After lengthy negotiations due to the costs of investing in the new technology, the government agreed to pay half the costs for six voyages per year and the East India Company board approved the purchase of two new steamers in 1837. Grant immediately announced that monthly voyages to Suez would take place, despite the fact that no secure coaling station had been found. In 1838, under Muhsin bin Fadl, Lahej ceded 194 km (75 sq mi) including Aden to
4130-421: The sayings of geographers about the city: Yaqut al-Hamwi said: "It is a famous city on the coast of the Indian Sea, towards the Yemen, and it is poor, with no water or pasture. They drink from a spring between it and Aden, about a distance of about today, and despite that, it is bad, except that this place is the port for Indian ships, and merchants gather there for that reason, as it is a town of trade." And it
4200-418: The sole purpose of drinking for the city's citizens." Little Aden became the site of the oil refinery and tanker port. Both were established and operated by British Petroleum until they were turned over to South Yemeni government ownership and control in 1978. Aden used to be the capital of South Yemen until its unity with North Yemen in 22 May 1990. It is currently the temporary capital of Yemen since
4270-409: The subsequent decade. By 1800, Aden was a small village with a population of 600 Arabs, Somalis , Jews, and Indians—housed for the most part in huts of reed matting erected among ruins recalling a vanished era of wealth and prosperity. As there was little British trade in the Red Sea, most British politicians until the 1830s had no further interest in the area beyond the suppression of piracy. However,
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#17329016507284340-403: The “Cisterns of Aden,” which stored approximately 136,382,757 liters of water. The Himyarite Kingdom fell in the first quarter of the sixth century AD. Yusuf Dhu Nuwas mentioned Bab al-Mandab in one of his writings. The forces of the Kingdom of Aksum were entering Yemen through it. The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I sent a fleet to fight the Himyarite Jews and support the Kingdom of Aksum and
4410-461: Was a step towards the change in monetary units seen in the stamps illustrating this article. When British India became independent in 1947, Indian rupees (divided into annas ) were replaced in Aden by East African shillings . The hinterland of Aden and Hadhramaut were also loosely tied to Britain as the Aden Protectorate , which was overseen from Aden. Aden's location also made it a useful entrepôt for mail passing between places around
4480-399: Was approximately eighty thousand people during the days of the Rasulid state. In 1421, China's Ming dynasty Yongle Emperor ordered principal envoy grand eunuch Li Xing and grand eunuch Zhou Man of Zheng He 's fleet to convey an imperial edict with hats and robes to bestow on the king of Aden. The envoys boarded three treasure ships and set sail from Sumatra to the port of Aden . This event
4550-417: Was enlarged in 1857 by the 13 km (5.0 sq mi) island of Perim , in 1868 by the 73 km (28 sq mi) Khuriya Muriya Islands , and in 1915 by the 108 km (42 sq mi) island of Kamaran . The settlement would become Aden Province in 1935. In 1937, the settlement was detached from India and became the Colony of Aden , a British Crown colony . The change in government
4620-402: Was followed by systematic killings and liquidations against the people of Abyan Governorate, on charges that they were collaborating with Ali Nasser Muhammad. Nearly ten thousand people were killed and thousands migrated towards North Yemen, most of whom were from Abyan and Shabwa. With the unification of northern and southern Yemen in 1990, Aden was no longer a national capital but remained
4690-431: Was imprisoned, his ships confiscated, and eight of his men killed. The British tried to conclude treaties with the Zaidi imams after the Ottomans were expelled from Aden. They visited Sana'a and Mokha, but they treated the British ambassador poorly and rejected his offer. Things were different when the Abdali gained independence from Lahj and Medina. They signed a treaty with the British in 1802, stipulating that they build
4760-411: Was recorded in the book Yingyai Shenglan by Ma Huan who accompanied the imperial envoy. In 1513, the Portuguese, led by Afonso de Albuquerque , launched an unsuccessful four-day naval siege of Aden . After Ottoman rule, Aden was ruled by the Sultanate of Lahej , under suzerainty of the Zaidi imams of Yemen. The first political intercourse between Lahej and the British took place in 1799, when
4830-665: Was torn apart by the rivalry of two factions in the ruling Socialist Party, when President Ali Nasser Muhammad's guards launched a surprise attack on the political party's office in Aden on January 13, 1986. This was the beginning of the 1986 civil war in South Yemen. The basis of the war was regional. Ali Nasser Muhammad was from Abyan Governorate, while most of those killed in the political party office were from Al-Dhalea and Lahj. Military brigades from those areas bombed Aden from land and sea, forcing Ali Nasser Muhammad to flee and hundreds of thousands of civilians and soldiers to flee to northern Yemen, including Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi . This
4900-411: Was transferred to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen in line with the Marxist-Leninist approach they followed. A centrally planned economy was established. The port of Aden was the largest source of national income for the Republic of South Yemen, but the closure of the Suez Canal by egypt between the years 1967 and 1975 - reduced commercial activities in the port. Salem Rabie Ali wanted to adopt
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