[2] The first reference to Taiz in historical sources dates back to the first half of the 12th century CE, when the sultan of the Sulayhid dynasty, Abdullah bin Muhammad al-Sulayhi, built the Al-Qahira Castle.

The next historical reference to Taiz mentioned that Queen Arwa al-Sulayhi's minister, Prince Al-Mansur bin Al-Mufaddal bin Abi Al-Barakat, sold many of the country's castles and cities - except for the fortresses of Taiz and Sabr - to the ruler of Aden Al-Zari'i, the preacher Muhammad Ibn Saba, in exchange for one hundred thousand dinars.

The second Rasulid King, Almaddhafar (1288 CE), moved his kingdom's capital from Sanaa to Taiz, due to its proximity to Aden.

[6] Taiz was said to have reached its golden age during the Rasulid dynasty, whose sultans spent lavishly on palaces, mosques, and madrassas.

During the Yemeni Revolution fighting in Taiz resulted in anti-government forces seizing control of the city from president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

As part of the 2015 Yemeni Civil War, on 22 March 2015, the Houthis and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh took the city in the aftermath of their coup d'état in Sanaa.

The city was effectively under siege and the United Nations warned of an "extreme and irreversible" food shortage if fighting continued.

[12] In August 2015, Yemeni Member of Parliament Muhammad Muqbil Al-Himyari reported Houthi attacks on civilians in Taiz and appealed for help on Suhail TV (Yemen).

Taiz is also home to one of the best-known mountains in Yemen, Jabal Saber,[21] almost 3,000 metres (1.9 miles) above sea level), which affords panoramic views over the city.

[22] Today, coffee remains a major part of the economy but mango, pomegranate, citrus, banana, papai, vegetables, cereals, onions, and qat are also grown in the surrounding landscapes.

However, since the outbreak of the civil war in 2015, Taiz's economy has been devastated by the fighting and the city's siege by Houthi rebels.

However, as of January 2023, most roads to and from Ta'iz are controlled by the Houthis, who are besieging the city as part of the Yemeni Civil War.