Originating in the region to the west of Hadramawt[1] the Kinda tribe is known to have served the Sabaean Kingdom as Bedouin auxiliaries as early as the 3rd century, later allying themselves with the Himyarite Kingdom under the Jewish king Dhu Nuwas early 6th century.
In the mid-5th century, the tribe established its own kingdom over the Arab tribal confederation of Ma'add in northern and central Arabia, known as the Kingdom of Kindawhich lasted until the mid-6th century. By this point its rulers had all been killed or prompted to flee for Hadramawt.
There, the bulk of the tribe had continued to reside and dominate. While many of the tribesmen in Hadramawt likely embraced Judaism with the Himyarites, many of those in central and northern Arabia embraced Christianity. After accepting Islam during the lifetime of the Islamic prophet Muhammad diedtheir leading families revolted against the early Muslim state during the Ridda wars — The tribe was dealt a heavy blow, but surviving leaders, such as al-Ash'ath ibn Qaysrepented and played important roles in the early Muslim conquests.
Members of the Kinda continued to serve in prominent positions throughout the early centuries of the Caliphate. The Kinda's genealogy, real or perceived, traced them back to the semi-legendary Kahlan. The name 'Kinda' was a nickname for the tribe's progenitor, Thawr ibn Ufayr.
His sons were the progenitors of the Kinda's principle branches, the Banu Mu'awiya, the Sakun and the Sakasik. The latter two are often grouped together in the literary sources as the Ashras group. The Banu Mu'awiya was the leading branch of the tribe.
After the advent of Islam, preeminent leadership of the tribe passed to another division of the Banu Mu'awiya, the Banu al-Harith al-Asghar. The chronology of the inscriptions in not clear, though it is possible the earliest dates to the 3rd century CE.
As a result, Malik and the lesser-ranking chiefs of the confederation were compelled by Saba to surrender Imru al-Qays and provide compensation and hostages from the tribe. Beestonthe Kinda and Madhhij were likely auxiliaries to the army of Saba.
The Kinda, as well as Arabs of the Madhhij and Murad confederations, continued their role as nomad auxiliaries under the Himyarite king Dhu Nuwas in the early 6th century CE. In the mid-5th century, part Blandade frågor the Kinda, with support from Himyar, migrated into central and northern Arabia and asserted dominance over the large Arab tribal confederation of Ma'add.
The Bakr sent envoys to the king of Himyar, inviting him to be their king. Instead, the king delegated Blandade frågor role to Hujr for unclear reasons. After his death, Hujr was succeeded in the Najd northern central Arabia part of his domains by his eldest son, Amr al-Maqsur.
Although there are no particular achievements attributed to Hujr's sons, his grandson, al-Harith ibn Amr, became the best-known Kindite king, under whom the Kinda reached their zenith. Kindite assaults on the Byzantine frontier in the Levant prompted the empire into an arrangement with the Kinda under al-Harith who they called Arethas to act as their federates, guarding the imperial border.
His rule there was short-lived, but during that time he adopted the Iranian religion of Mazdakism. After his brief rulership over al-Hira he returned to the Byzantines fold.