Kutama facts for kids
The Kutama were a Berber tribe from northern Algeria. They were part of a larger group of Berber tribes called the Bavares. We know about the Kutama from a long time ago, as the Greek geographer Ptolemy mentioned them as "Koidamousii."
The Kutama tribe played a huge part in starting the Fatimid Caliphate (a powerful Islamic empire that lasted from 909 to 1171). They made up most of the Fatimid army. This army defeated the Aghlabids, who ruled a region called Ifriqiya (modern-day Tunisia and parts of Algeria and Libya). Later, the Kutama helped the Fatimids conquer Egypt, Sudan, Hijaz (in Saudi Arabia), and the southern Levant (parts of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine) between 969 and 975. The Kutama remained a key part of the Fatimid army for a long time, even into the 11th century.
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The Kutama's Early Days
The Greek geographer Ptolemy wrote about the Kutama, calling them "Koidamousii." His writings about Africa are from around 100-110 AD. He said they lived near the Ampsaga river (now called oued el-Kebir) in a Roman province called Mauretania Caesariensis. They were located upstream from the Khitouae tribe and downstream from the Todoukae tribe.
In the 2nd century, the Kutama were part of the Bavares group of tribes. This group caused a lot of trouble for the Roman Empire in their provinces of Mauretania and Numidia. Even with this fighting, some Kutama areas became a bit Romanized. For example, a town called Vahartanensium was created, likely for a road crossing.
In 411 AD, their main town, Ceramusa, was important enough to be the seat of a bishop (a church leader). Later, in the 6th century, under Byzantine rule, an old Christian inscription mentioned a king of the "Ucutumani." This name shows the Berber word "u-" which means "parentage" or "son of." The inscription called him "Dei servus," which means "slave of God" in Latin. This shows the Kutama were becoming Christian.
After Ancient Times
When Islam Arrived
The earliest stories about the muslim conquest of the Maghreb (North Africa) don't mention the Kutama. Their name first appears in a book called al-Masālik by Ibn Khordadbeh in 885 AD. At that time, the tribe was not considered very important.
The Kutama likely became Khawarij Muslims before the mid-8th century. In 757-758 AD, when the city of Kairouan was captured by the Ibadis, the Kutama were part of the Kharijite army. They were allied with Abu al-Khattab al-Ma'afiri and Abd al-Rahman ibn Rustam. One of their own, Uqayba, was even put in charge of Kairouan for a short time.
The Aghlabid Rulers
Not much is known about the Kutama during the late 8th century, after the Aghlabids took control of Kairouan in 789 AD. The Kutama mostly ignored the Aghlabid rulers. They welcomed rebel soldiers into their hard-to-reach mountains. Because they had a large population and lived in isolated mountains, the Aghlabids didn't bother them much.
The Rise of the Fatimids
Joining the Isma'ili Faith
In the late 9th century (around 893-894 AD), some important Kutama leaders met an Isma'ili religious leader named Abu Abdallah al-Shi'i in Mecca. He convinced them to join the Isma'ili branch of Shi'ism. They invited him to return with them to Ikjan, their main town. There, Abu Abdallah managed to gain the support of the people.
Around this time, the Kutama tribe began to spread out. The area they controlled became much larger than it was in Roman times. It included the northern mountains stretching from Bougie to near Constantine. This region was called Jabal Kutama, or "the mountains of the Kutama."
This area was very rugged, with steep coasts and thick forests. It was hard to get to, with mountains almost 2,000 meters high. Villages were built on high peaks, making them almost like natural fortresses. This expansion suggests that the Kutama, seeing the central government was weak, took over more land. They likely brought back the old Bavares group under their own name. They also moved south into the plains, which were good for growing crops.
Taking Over the Aghlabid Lands
Abu Abdallah built a strong army and attacked the Aghlabid forts in Lesser Kabylia. Their first attack failed in 902 after they took Mila. But the Kutama learned and became a very strong fighting force.
Under Abu Abdallah's command, they captured Sétif in 904 and Belezma in 905. Then they took Béja, even though the Aghlabid armies were bigger and had better weapons. In 907-908, they attacked the heart of Ifriqiya. After taking Meskiana and Tébessa, they captured Constantine.
Abu Abdallah defeated the army of Ziyadat Allah III at al-Urbus. The Aghlabids were defeated everywhere and abandoned by their supporters. They fled to the East. The victorious Kutama army entered Kairouan and paraded in Raqqada in March 909. Abu Abdallah offered forgiveness to the people but shared the spoils of war among his soldiers.
Once victory was certain, he announced the name of his leader, Abdallah al-Mahdi Billah. Abu Abdallah then went to Sijilmasa, where al-Mahdi was being held, to bring him to Kairouan. On the way, the Kutama army conquered the Rustamid imamate. They drove the Ibadis from Tiaret, who then fled to Sadrata, the capital of the Ouargla oasis.
Leading the Fatimid Army
The Kutama were the main and best soldiers in the early Fatimid armies. Even though other Berber tribes joined the Fatimids later (like the large Sanhaja group), the Kutama continued to be the biggest part of the Fatimid army. This lasted until after the Fatimid conquest of Egypt in 969.
Their role in the Fatimid state was so important that some historians believed the Fatimids were a Berber dynasty. They say the Kutama Berbers from Kabylia were responsible for creating the Fatimid Caliphate. They conquered Ifriqiya and made Abdullāh al-Mahdī Billa the Caliph (ruler).
According to historian Heinz Halm, the early Fatimid state was like a "Kutama rule." This was especially true for four specific Kutama sub-tribes. In 948, Caliph al-Mansur publicly said that God had given the Kutama special importance because they were the first to see and accept the truth.
However, other Berber tribes and especially the Arab people in the cities didn't like this strong control by the Kutama. The Kutama were seen as arrogant and demanding. This led to rebellions in the new Fatimid lands. During these uprisings, the Kutama were often targeted and killed by the rebels.
Their Power Fades
After the Fatimid rulers moved their capital to Egypt in 973, many Kutama soldiers went with them. But during battles in the Levant in the 970s, it became clear that an army made only of Kutama soldiers wasn't enough. So, from 978 onwards, the Fatimids started adding other groups to their army, like Turks and Daylamites from eastern Islamic lands.
It also became harder to find new Kutama recruits after 987-988. These changes challenged the Kutama's special place in the army. A strong rivalry grew between the Kutama and these "Easterners" (Mashāriqa).
In 996, when al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah became the new caliph, the Kutama refused to accept him. They demanded that their leader, al-Hasan ibn Ammar, be made the vizier (a high-ranking minister). This happened, but Ibn Ammar's clear favoritism towards the Berbers quickly upset other important people. He was removed from power a year later.
Finally, when al-Hakim took full control of the government in 1000, he removed many important Fatimid officials. During this time, Ibn Ammar and many other leading Kutama were executed.
After this, the Kutama's power steadily decreased. By November 1025, during an official review, the once large and proud Kutama were so few that they had to ask for bread to eat. Soon after, they couldn't even gather 100 horsemen quickly. However, the Persian traveler Nasir Khusraw wrote that there were 20,000 Kutama horsemen when he visited Egypt in 1047.
During a period of chaos between 1062 and 1073, the Kutama allied with the Sudān (African soldiers) against the Turks and Daylamites. The last remaining Kutama soldiers were removed from the Fatimid army after Badr al-Jamali came to power in 1073.
Sources
- Basset, René (1986). "Kutāma". The Encyclopaedia of Islam, New Edition, Volume V: Khe–Mahi. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
- Daftary, Farhad (2007). [Kutama at Google Books The Ismāʿı̄lı̄s: Their History and Doctrines] (Second ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-61636-2. Kutama at Google Books.
- Desanges, J. (2008). "Koidamousii". Encyclopédie berbère 28-29 | Kirtēsii – Lutte. Aix-en-Provence: Edisud.
- Laporte, J.-P. (2005). "Ketama, Kutama". Encyclopédie berbère 27 | Kairouan – Kifan Bel-Ghomari. Aix-en-Provence: Edisud.
