Bahdal ibn Unayf al-Kalbi

Bahdal ibn Unayf al-Kalbi (Arabic: بحدل بن أنيف الكلبي, romanized: Baḥdal ibn ʿUnayf al-Kalbī; died c. 650s) was the preeminent chief of the Banu Kalb tribe during early Muslim rule in Syria until his death in the mid-650s. A Christian like most of his tribesmen at the time, Bahdal secured a prominent role for his family and the Banu Kalb by marrying off his daughter Maysun to the future caliph Mu'awiya I (r. 661–680), while the latter was governor of Syria between 639 and 661. Maysun became mother to Mu'awiya's son and successor, Yazid I (r. 680–683). Though Bahdal died before 657, his forging of ties with the Umayyads secured his descendants and tribesmen the most prominent positions in the Umayyad court and military, so much so that partisans of the Umayyads became known as Baḥdaliyya. Bahdal's grandchildren led the Yaman faction in the wars with Qays, a rival tribal confederation.