Arwa al- Sulayhi was born in 1308 in modern day Haraz, Yemen. She was orphaned at a young age and raised by her aunt and uncle, the leader of Yemen. At the age of 17 she married their son and her aunt became her mother in law. When her father in law died, she and her husband became ruler. However, because her husband was bedridden so she reigned as co regent. She was said to have been brave, devout and independent with a great memory for poems, stories, and historical events. Unlike her mother in law, she veiled herself but she still attended mix gender state councils and refused to be hidden behind a screen during private meetings. When her husband died, she remarried in order to remain in power, however legend says she never allowed the marriage to be consummated. During her reign, she sent pilgrims to Gujarat, India to establish Shia communities there, which still exist to this day. Domestically, she worked on expanding her empire, developing roads and building schools and mosques across Yemen. Arwa al-Sulayhi was given the rank of hujja, a prestigious title in Shia Islam, signifying the closest living image of Gods will - the first time a woman was awarded this title.