Banu Hilal facts for kids
The Banu Hilal (which means "Children of Hilal" in Arabic) were a group of nomadic Arabs. This means they were people who moved from place to place instead of settling down. In the 11th century, they traveled from Upper Egypt to areas that are now Tunisia and eastern Algeria. During their journey, they fought and defeated the Berbers, who were the original inhabitants of those lands.
Contents
The Banu Hilal's Journey
The Banu Hilal tribe originally came from the Arabian Peninsula. This is a large land area in the Middle East. Stories passed down through generations say they left Arabia and moved towards Egypt.
Early Rebellions
According to their legends, the Banu Hilal rebelled against the Caliph of Baghdad in the late 900s. A Caliph was a powerful ruler in the Islamic world. This rebellion happened before their big move to North Africa.
Moving to North Africa
In 1049, a ruler in Tunisia from the Zirid dynasty rebelled against Egypt. To punish the Zirids, the Egyptian rulers sent the Banu Hilal nomads to Tunisia. This was a way to control the rebellious Zirids.
A Cloud of Locusts
An early Tunisian historian named Ibn Khaldun wrote about the Banu Hilal. He said that when they invaded Tunisia, they were like "a cloud of locusts." This phrase meant they were a huge, powerful group that spread quickly across the land.
Controlling North Africa
As the Banu Hilal moved west, Arab poets told stories of their many victories. They conquered many areas. The Banu Hilal controlled a large part of North Africa for more than 100 years.
Later Battles
However, the Banu Hilal were eventually defeated. This happened in a series of battles during the 12th century. A powerful Moroccan dynasty fought against them and won.
A Real Tribe
Even though much of their early history was passed down through spoken stories, the Banu Hilal were a real tribe. They truly came from the Arabian Peninsula. They also truly controlled much of North Africa for a long time.
Images for kids
-
This image shows a family tree of the Banu Hilal and Banu Sulaym tribes.
See also
In Spanish: Banu Hilal para niños
