AMRU'-UL-QAIS, or IMRU'-UL QAIS, IBN HUJR, Arabian
poet of the 6th century, the author of one of the
Mo'allaat
(q.v.), was regarded by Mahomet and others as the most
distinguished poet of pre-Islamic times. He was of the kingly
family of Kinda, and his mother was of the tribe of Taghlib.
While he was still young, his father was killed by the Bani
Asad. After this his life was devoted to the attempt to
avenge his father's death. He wandered from tribe to tribe
to gain assistance, but his attempts were always foiled by
the persistent following of the messengers of Mundhir of Hira
(Hira). At last he went to the Jewish Arabian prince,
Samu`al, left his daughter and treasure with him, and
by means of Harith of Ghassan procured an introduction
to the Byzantine emperor Justinian. After a long stay
in Constantinople he was named phylarch of Palestine, and
received a body of troops from Justin II. With these he
started on his way to Arabia. It is said that a man of Asad,
who had followed him to Constantinople, charged him before
the emperor with the seduction of a princess, and that Justin
sent him a poisoned cloak, which caused his death at Ancyra.
His poems are contained in W. Ahlwardt's The Divans of
the six ancient Arabic Poets (London, 1870), and have
been published separately in M.G. de Slane's Le Diwan
d'Amro'lkais (Paris, 1837); a German version with life and
notes in F. Ruckert's Amrilkais der Dichter und Konig
(Stuttgart, 1843). Many stories of his life are told in
the Kitab ul-Aghani, vol. viii. pp. 62-77. (G. W. T.)
This article is from the 1911 edition of an
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