During the reign of Ahmad bin Yahya, the kingdom faced many challenges, including internal political instability and external pressure. During his reign, he was hit by several coup attempts and assassinations, which ultimately led to the fall of the kingdom shortly after his death. Among his enemies were ambitious family members, progressive pan-Arabists and republicans, from whom he received the name "Ahmad the Devil". Despite this, he remained surprisingly popular among his subjects, especially among members of the northern tribes, who knew him as the "Great Turban". Ahmad bin Yahya was conservative like his father, but nevertheless forged alliances with the Soviet Union, Communist China, and the Republic of Egypt, which they provided economic and military aid to the kingdom. These alliances were formed largely to drive the British out of South Yemen and reclaim the territory of the Aden Protectorate as part of "Greater Yemen". In the end, however, he faced Egypt and the Soviet Union, which after his death supported the pro-republican coup against his son and successor. Ahmad bin Yahya survived many assassinations during his life, for which he was nicknamed "al-Djinn" (the Genie). He was also memorable for his appearance: he was short and stocky, with prominently bulging eyes, which were said to have been induced artificially. From a young age, he was engaged in poetry, but he was also famous for his explosive nature. Stories circulated that during his law studies he threatened his fellow students with a knife to make them swear that one day they would support him as an imam. Ahmad bin Yahya was born on June 18, 1891 in the Yemeni Province of the Ottoman Empire and died on September 19, 1962. in the city of 'izz, Yemen.

Ahmad bin Yahya was the penultimate king of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom, who ruled from 1948 to 1962. He was preceded by his father, Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din, who proclaimed the Kingdom of Yemen in 1918 after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Ahmad bin Yahya's money used the Yemeni rial, which was divided into 40 buqshas, and each buqsha consisted of 80 dies. The rial was introduced in 1935 and remained in effect until 1962, when the Yemeni Republic revolution overthrew the kingdom. Ahmad bin Yahya's coins were usually made of bronze, aluminum, or gold, and bore Arabic script. The coins bore the imam's name, address, year of issue, and mint location. Among Ahmad bin Yahya's coins, the most common were the 1/80 rial, 1/40 rial, and 1/4 rial denominations, which were of various sizes and designs. . The largest denomination was 1 rial, which was made of gold and was rare. Coins often featured the square seal, which symbolized royal power.