Umayya ibn Abd Shams

Umayya ibn Abd Shams was the son of Abd Shams and is the progenitor of the line of the Umayyad caliphs. Anti-Umayyad polemic says that his name is derived from 'afa', a diminutive of the word for slave-girl, and instead of being the legitimate son of Abd Shams, Ibn al-Kalbi claims that he was adopted by him. However, Ibn al-Kalbi is acknowledged as unreliable reporter. The clan of Banu Umayyad as well as the dynasty that ruled the Umayyad Caliphate are named after Umayya ibn Abd Shams. Umayya succeeded Abd Shams as the (wartime commander) of the Meccans. This position was likely an occasional political post whose holder oversaw the direction of Mecca's military affairs in times of war instead of an actual field command. This proved instructive as later Umayyads were known for possessing considerable political and military organizational skills. His children were: Abu al-'As Harb Al-'As Abu 'Amr Abu al-'Is Safiyya