Dhu Shanatir
Himyarite king, serial killer, and rapist / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dhu Shanatir (Arabic: لحيعة ينوف ذو شناتر, romanized: Lakhniʿah Yanuf Dhu Shanatir), was a legendary Himyarite king, who usurped the throne from the royal family and supposedly ruled Yemen for a period of 27 years.[2] He also received the title "The Man with Earrings" due to his appearance.[3]
Dhu Shanatir | |||||
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The Man with Earrings | |||||
Reign | 490–517[1] | ||||
Predecessor | Sharhabil Yafar | ||||
Successor | Dhu Nuwas | ||||
Died | c. 517 | ||||
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Religion | South Arabian polytheism |
He is known as one of the first recorded serial killers.[4] He lured young boys from the royal family into his home with the promise of food or money,[5] but then stripped them naked before he sodomized them. He then killed them by throwing them naked out of an upper-story window of his home. He was only stopped when his would-be victim, Zur'ah ibn Sharhabil, managed to overpower and stab him to death.[6][7] Following his assassination, Zur'ah displayed his severed head at the palace window, and was accepted by his people as the new ruler of Himyar, taking the title of Dhu Nuwas.[8][9][10]