Hakim usurped Arwa the Pearled One's claim to rule; she was intended to become the next ruler of the Sarranid Sultanate as the Sarranid nobles saw her fit for her to rule the throne, being the favorite slave of the previous ruler, Sultan Ayzar, for she was beautiful and intelligent. The nobles of the Sarranid Sultanate allowed her to rule on the condition that she marry general Baybak, a Sarranid noble. Hakim's claim was to prevent tyranny and civil war with the belief that having a woman on the throne would cause too much discord. His right to rule was backed up by the fact that he was the nephew of general Baybak, Arwa's co-ruling husband, whilst Arwa was merely an adopted daughter from the slave market. Sultan Hakim's accusations of Arwa went as far as calling her a witch, who had presumably enchanted her husband and the former Sultan into having favorable feelings for her. After general Baybak was killed in a skirmish, Hakim was able to manipulate the lords and force himself onto the Sarranid throne.
Sultan Hakim is relatively generous as ruler, so as long as he keeps hold of his fief, Shariz, he does not keep excessive fiefs for himself. He will not usually be swayed by the opinions of others, meaning if you want a fief, it is best to speak to Sultan Hakim directly.
Trivia[]
The name ḥākim (حكيم) means "wise" in Arabic.
Hakim's banner is a flame above a crescent. This is in stark contrast with Arwa's, whose banner is the head of a desert eagle, a prominent Sarranid sigil featured in their emblem. The eagle could be the sigil of Sultan Ayzar, Hakim's predecessor, and since Hakim is only connected to him through Baybak (who in turn is connected to the sultan through Arwa), it would make sense for the banner to be different from the Sultan's. Hakim's banner, meanwhile, could be related to that of his late uncle, Baybak. Since there are two distinct ways Arwa could have gained hers, it is very hard to tell. Hakim's claim thus hinges on Baybak, who was Sultan in the eyes of many but not all, while Arwa's hinges on the old dynasty.
