View source for Al-Mundhir III ibn al-Nu'man

{{Short description|6th-century king of the Lakhmids}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name           = Al-Mundhir III ibn al-Nu'man
| title          = King of the [[Lakhmids]]
| image          = Khosrow I Anushirvan and Al-Mundhir III ibn al-Nu'man.png
| image_size     = 300px
| caption        = [[Shahnameh]] illustration of al-Mundhir III (right) seeking the help of the [[Sasanian Empire|Sasanian]] king [[Khosrow I]] against the [[Byzantine Empire]].
| reign          = 503/505–554
| predecessor    = [[Abu Ya'fur ibn Alqama]] or Imru al-Qays III ibn al-Nu'man
| successor      = [['Amr III ibn al-Mundhir]]
| spouse         =
| house          = [[Lakhmid kingdom|Lakhmids]]
| issue          = [[Amr ibn Hind]]<br>[[Qabus ibn al-Mundhir]]<br>[[Al-Mundhir IV ibn al-Mundhir]]
| father         = [[Al-Nu'man II ibn al-Aswad]] or Imru al-Qays III ibn al Nu'man
| mother         = Maria bint Awf bin Geshem
| birth_date     =
| birth_place    = [[Al-Hirah]] (present day [[Iraq]])
| death_date     = 554
| death_place    = [[Yawm Halima]]
}}
'''Al-Mundhir III ibn al-Nu'man''' ({{langx|ar|المنذر بن النعمان}}), also known as '''Al-Mundhir ibn Imri' al-Qays''' ({{lang|ar|المنذر بن إمرئ القيس}}) (died 554) was the king of the [[Lakhmids]] in 503/505–554.
==Biography==
His mother's name was Maria bint Awf bin Geshem. The son of [[al-Nu'man II ibn al-Aswad]], he succeeded his father either immediately upon his death in 503 or after a short interregnum by [[Abu Ya'fur ibn Alqama]]. He is one of the most renowned Lakhmid kings, and is known for his military achievements. These started before he was crowned a king, during the [[Anastasian War]], with a raid in [[Palaestina Salutaris]] and [[Arabia Petraea]] in the year 503, capturing a large number of Romans.<ref>John Binns, ''Ascetics and ambassadors of Christ: the monasteries of Palestine'', 314-631. p.113; Frank R. Trombley, J. W. Watt, ''The chronicle of pseudo-Joshua the Stylite'' (the margin) p.108; Cyril of Scythopolis, ''Life of John the Hesychast'', 211. 15-20</ref> Mundhir's raids covered the area between [[Euphrates]] from the east up to [[Egypt]] in the west<ref>Procopius I. xvii. 41; Rothstein, Dynastie der Lahmiden, p. 46; Shahid, Byzantium and the Arabs in the Fifth Century, pp.24-25</ref> and [[Najd]] southward, where in 516 he engaged in a battle with [[Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan]], the [[Himyarite Kingdom|Himyarite king]].<ref>Le Muséon, LXVI, 1953, P. 307, 310, Ryckmans 510-446</ref>
In 526, the [[Iberian War]] between the [[Byzantine Empire]] and [[Sasanian Empire]] began, and Mundhir attacked Syria, ravaging it. Two Roman high-ranking commanders were captured, Timostratus and John. This caused [[Justinian I]] to send al-Mundhir an embassy for peace consisting of Abraham son of Euphrasius (his son is [[Nonnosus (historian)|Nonnosus]] the historian) and [[Simeon of Beth Arsham]]. They were joined by Sergius of Rasafa (who was later sent by Justinian with gifts to al-Mundhir). In 528 al-Mundhir attacked Syria and returned with much booty. The next year (529) he renewed his attacks, firstly taking all the area of frontiers which was Khabour. Afterwards, he marched towards [[Arzona]] and [[Nisibis]] spoiling and ravaging the cities before continuing to [[Apamea (Syria)|Apamea]] and [[Chalcedon]]. Al-Mundhir was unable to conquer [[Antioch]] because Justinian dispatched a large army to protect it. Al-Mundhir returned with much booty, among them 400 nuns, whom he burnt to the goddess [[al-Uzza]].
Al-Mundhir was killed in the battle of [[Yawm Halima]] with the [[Ghassanids]] under [[Al-Harith ibn Jabalah]] in June 554. He was succeeded by his three sons, [['Amr III ibn al-Mundhir]] (r.&nbsp;554–569), [[Qabus ibn al-Mundhir]] (r.&nbsp;569–573) and [[Al-Mundhir IV ibn al-Mundhir]] (r.&nbsp;574–580).
== Sources ==
{{Reflist}}
== Further reading ==
* {{ODLA|last=Toral-Niehoff|first=Isabel|title=al-Mundhir III|url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780198662778.001.0001/acref-9780198662778-e-3258}}
{{Lakhmid Rulers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mundhir 03 ibn al-Nu'man}}
[[Category:6th-century Arab people]]
[[Category:554 deaths]]
[[Category:6th-century monarchs in the Middle East]]
[[Category:Lakhmid kings]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:People of the Roman–Sasanian Wars]]
[[Category:Vassal rulers of the Sasanian Empire]]
[[Category:Monarchs killed in action]]
[[Category:Generals of Khosrow I]]
[[Category:Iberian War]]
[[Category:Anastasian War]]
[[Category:Arabs from the Sasanian Empire]]
[[Category:Generals of Kavad I]]