Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din
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Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din (or Imam Yahya) (1869–1948) became king of Yemen in 1934. He died during an unsuccessful coup attempt in 1948 and was succeeded by his son Imam Ahmad.
Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din was born into the Hamad ad-Din branch of the Rassi dynasty. Upon the death of his father in 1904, Yahya became Imam, effectively ruler over the mountainous areas of the future North Yemen. However the Ottomans who made claim on the area didn't recognize his rule, with war as result. The war against the Ottomans came to an end in 1911, and his rule over North Yemen was recognized. Yahya became a loyal subject to the empire.
Following the end of World War I in 1918, the Ottomans lost control over North Yemen, and Yahya became the ruler of the new independent state.
There was another war, this time with the House of Saud (also Sa'ud), in 1934. Yahya's forces were badly defeated, but king Ibn Saud offered him peace without making territorial concessions.
In 1946 opposition to Yahya's regime became organized. Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din was shot to death in 1948, and was succeeded by his son Ahmad bin Yahya.