Around 520CE, King Kaleb , the ruler of the powerful Axumite kingdom of Ethiopia , sent an expedition to Yemen against the Jewish Himyarite king, Dhu Nuwas, who was persecuting the Christian community there.

Dhu Nuwas was deposed and killed and Kaleb appointed a local Christian Himyarite, as his viceroy.

However, around 525CE this viceroy was deposed by the Axsumite general, Abraha with support of Ethiopians who had settled in Yemen, and withheld tribute to his king.

He defeated the forces King Kaleb sent and took control of Southern Arabia,

Being a staunch Christian he endeavoured to establish a grand church to become the religious centre for Arab pilgrimage. When this failed he marched to destroy the Ka’bah in Mecca and was defeated as is discussed in Sûrah Al-Fîl (Chapter 105).

The site where his church once stood is found in an area known as Qullays within the Old City of San’â.