Almoravid dynasty facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Almoravid Empire المرابطون
1040–1147
Flag
Map showing the extent of the Almoravid empire
Capital	Aghmat (1040-1062), Marrakech(1062-1147) & Córdoba
Common languages	Berber languages (predominant), Classical Arabic, Mozarab, Hebrew language, African Romance & Andalusian Arabic
Religion	Malikite Islam (predominant), Roman Catholic, Ibadi, Judaism & Sufism
Government	Caliphate
Caliph
• 1040-1059	Abdallah ibn Yasin
• 1146–1147	Ishaq ibn Ali
History
• Established	1040
• Disestablished	1147
Area
3,885,000 km2 (1,500,000 sq mi)
Currency	Dinar & Maravedi
Preceded by Succeeded by Lamtuna Taifa of Mallorca Taifa of Almería Taifa of Badajoz Taifa of Beja and Évora Córdoban Republic Taifa of Guadix and Baza Almohad Taifa of Málaga Taifa of Silves Taifa of Niebla Purchena Banu Hilal Taifa of Murcia Aroudant Taifa of Valencia

The Almoravids were a Berber dynasty from the Sahara that ruled over a wide area of northwestern Africa and the Iberian peninsula during the 11th century.

Under this dynasty the Moorish empire included present-day Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Gibraltar, Tlemcen (in Algeria) and a great part of what is now Senegal and Mali in the south, and Spain and Portugal to the north in Europe. At its greatest extent, the empire stretched 3,000 kilometres north to south (an all-time latitude spanner until Spanish America).

Rulers

• Abdallah ibn Yasin (1040-1059)
• Yusuf ibn Tashfin (1061–1106)
• Ali ibn Yusuf (1106–42)
• Tashfin ibn Ali (1142–46)
• Ibrahim ibn Tashfin (1146)
• Ishaq ibn Ali (1146–1147)

Related pages

• History of Islam
• History of Spain

• General History of Africa, Africa from the Seventh to the Eleventh Century, Ed. M. Elfasi, Ch. 13 I.Hrbek and J.Devisse, The Almoravids (pp. 336–366), UNESCO, 1988

Images for kids

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  A 15th century depiction of the 11th century Almoravid general Abu Bakr ibn Umar ("Rex Bubecar") near the Senegal River in 1413 Majorcan chart. Abu Bakr was known for his conquests in Africa.

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  The Almoravid empire at its height stretched from the city of Aoudaghost to the Zaragoza in Al-Andalus

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  An Almoravid dinar coin from Seville, 1116. (British Museum); the Almoravid gold dinar would set the standard of the Iberian maravedí.

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  The Pisa Griffin, believed to have originated in 11th century Iberia.

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  A stele found at Gao-Saney believed to have been created in Almería during the Almoravid period. Now located at the National Museum of Mali.

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  Fragment of the shroud of San Pedro de Osma, early 12th century: the imagery features pairs of lions and harpies, surrounded by men holding griffins

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  Detail of the Almoravid minbar, commissioned by Ali Bin Yusuf Bin Tashfin al-Murabiti 1137 for his great mosque in Marrakesh.

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  In their North African constructions, the Almoravids explored the use of cusping to make arches more decorative, as seen here in the Almoravid Qubba in Marrakesh.

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  A plaque at the burial place of the Poet King Al-Mu'tamid ibn Abbad, interred 1095 in Aghmat, Morocco.

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  The Almoravid Qubba in Marrakesh.

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  Remains of Bab 'Ali (right), a stone gate built for Ali ibn Yusuf's palace in Marrakesh next to the Ksar el-Hajjar fortress

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  Bab Doukkala, one of the original gates of Marrakesh constructed circa 1126

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  Interior of the Great Mosque of Tlemcen

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  Detail of the Almoravid-era bronze overlays on the doors of al-Qarawiyyin's Bab al-Gna'iz.

See also

In Spanish: Almorávides para niños