Maysun bint Bahdal

The tribe established links with the Umayyad family, first through Caliph Uthman (r. 644–656), who married a woman of the Kalb.

She took a considerable interest in educating her son and took him to the desert encampments of the Kalb where Yazid spent part of his youth.

She seems to have been wrapped up in the life of her young son whom she delighted to dress up in fine clothing to gladden the eyes of his affectionate father.

She is generally credited with taking an interest in the education of Yazid, whom she took with her to the deserts of the Kalb south of Palmyra.

This Maisūn is apparently the author of the following celebrated poem, which has often been misattributed to Maysūn bint Baḥdal, enabling the characterisation of Mu‘āwiya I's wife as colourfully committed to country life; the story even circulates that Mu‘āwiya divorced Maysūn bint Baḥdal because of the offence he took at this poem and that she took her young son with her to grow up in the desert.