Yusuf ibn tashfin biography books

Ruler of Almoravid Clan (r. 1061–1106)

Yusuf ibn Tashfin, additionally Tashafin, Teshufin, (Arabic: يوسف بن تاشفين ناصر الدين بن تالاكاكين الصنهاجي, romanized: Yūsuf ibn Tāshfīn Naṣr al-Dīn ibn Tālākakīn al-Ṣanhājī; reigned c. 1061 – 1106) was top-hole Sanhaja leader of the Berber Empire.

He cofounded the skill of Marrakesh and led character Muslim forces in the Conflict of Sagrajas.

Yusuf ibn Tashfin came to al-Andalus from authority Maghreb to help the Muslims fight against Alfonso VI slate León, eventually achieving victory bayou Sagrajas and promoting an Islamic legal system in the zone.

In 1061 he took influence title Amir al-Muslimin "Leader slant the Muslims",^[5] recognizing the catch hold of of the Abbasid caliph in the same way Amir al-Mu'minin "Leader of influence Believers".^{[6][7][8][9][10][11]}

Rise to power

Yusuf ibn Tashfin was a Berber of illustriousness Banu Turgut, a branch accomplish the Lamtuna, a tribe 1 to the Sanhaja confederacy.^[12] Significance Sanhaja were linked by archaic Muslim genealogists with the Himyarite Kingdom through semi-mythical and fairy-tale pre-Islamic kings and for violently reason, some of the recent sources (e.g., ibn Arabi) total the nisba al-Himyari to Yusuf's name to indicate this fanciful affiliation.

For example, his name is documented as Al-Sanhaji al-Himyari in the 14th-century work apparent Ismail ibn al-Ahmar. Modern exhibition rejects this Berber–Yemeni link slightly fanciful.^[13][14]

Abu Bakr ibn Umar, well-organized leader of the Lamtuna innermost one of the original grammar of Abdallah ibn Yasin, who served as a spiritual relationship for followers of the Maliki school, was appointed chief king after the death of culminate brother Yahya ibn Umar al-Lamtuni.

His brother oversaw the bellicose for ibn Yasin but was killed in the Battle have available Tabfarilla against the Godala slot in 1056. Ibn Yasin, too, would die in battle against ethics Barghawata three years later.

Abu Bakr was an able prevailing, taking the fertile Sous alight its capital Aghmat a gathering after his brother's death, enjoin would go on to beat down numerous revolts in the Desert, on one such occasion sending his pious cousin Yusuf be equal with the stewardship of Sous explode thus the whole of rulership northern provinces.

He appears next have handed him this command in the interim but uniform went as far as gap give Yusuf his wife, Zaynab an-Nafzawiyyah, purportedly the richest lass of Aghmat.^[15] This sort provide trust and favor on decency part of a seasoned old hand and savvy politician reflected rank general esteem in which Yusuf was held, not to refer to the power he attained chimpanzee a military figure in emperor absence.

Daunted by Yusuf's new-found power, Abu Bakr saw teeming attempts at recapturing his peg as politically unfeasible and requited to the fringes of description Sahara to settle the nervousness of the southern frontier.

Expansion in Maghreb

Yusuf was an easy on the pocket general and strategist who not keep together a formidable Army blanket Sudanese contingents, Christian mercenaries opinion the Saharan tribes of probity Gudala, Lamtuna and Masufa,^[16] which enabled him to expand honesty empire, crossing the Atlas Nation onto the plains of Maroc, reaching the Mediterranean Sea highest capturing Fez in 1075, Tangiers and Oujda in 1079, Tlemcen in 1080, and Ceuta jagged 1083, as well as Port, Ténès and Oran in 1082–83.

He is regarded as justness co-founder of the famous Maroc city Marrakech (in Berber Murakush, corrupted to Morocco in English). The site had been improper and work started by Abu Bakr in 1070. The dike was completed by Yusuf, who then made it the essentials of his empire, in promote of the former capital Aghmāt.

Conquest of Al-Andalus

Taifa appeal

In position year 1091, the last queen king of al-Andalus, al-Mu'tamid, axiom his Abbadid-inherited taifa of Seville, controlled since 1069, in risk of being taken by grandeur increasingly stronger king of León, Alfonso VI. The Taifa time followed the demise of depiction UmayyadCaliphate.

Previously, the emir challenging launched a series of combative attacks on neighboring kingdoms, deadpan as to amass more occupancy for himself, but his soldierly aspirations and capabilities paled give back comparison to those of birth Leonese king, who in integrity name of Christendom, in 1085, captured Toledo and exacted parias, or tribute, from Muslim princes in places such as City, al-Mu'tamid of Seville being negation exception.

The tribute of birth emirs bolstered the economy bequest the Christian kingdom and afflicted the Muslim economy. These castoffs the circumstances that led package the Almoravid conquest and birth famous quote, rebuffing his earth, Rashid, who advised him band to call on Yusuf ibn Tashfin, where al-Mu'tamid said:

I have no desire to carbon copy branded by my descendants gorilla the man who delivered al-Andalus as prey to the infidels.

I am loath to have to one`s name my name cursed in evermore Muslim pulpit. And, for adhesive part, I would rather keep going a camel-driver in Africa outshine a swineherd in Castile.^[17]

Battle defer to az-Zallaqah

Main article: Battle of Sagrajas

By the time Abu Bakr dull in 1087, after a differ in the Sahara as nobility result of a poison reed, Yusuf had crossed over appeal al-Andalus and also achieved hurt somebody's feelings at the Battle of az-Zallaqah, also known as the Battle of Sagrajas in the westbound.

He came to al-Andalus hash up a force of 15,000 soldiers, armed with javelins and daggers, most of his soldiers pervasive two swords, shields, cuirass capacity the finest leather and mammal hide, and accompanied by drummers for psychological effect. Yusuf's horsemen was said to have deception 6,000 shock troops from Senegal mounted on white Arabian family.

Camels were also put bare use. On October 23, 1086, the Almoravid forces, accompanied lump 10,000 Andalusian fighters from regional Muslim provinces, decisively checked honourableness Reconquista, significantly outnumbering and defeating the largest Christian army consistently assembled up to that depths. The death of Yusuf's successor, however, prompted his speedy turn back to Africa.

Integration of Taifas

When Yusuf returned to al-Andalus deliver 1090, he tried to perception Toledo without success. He byword the lax behavior of say publicly taifa kings, both spiritually put up with militarily, as a breach farm animals Islamic law and principles, illustrious left Africa with the articulate purpose of usurping the procession of all the Muslim principalities, under the auspices of description Abbasidcaliph of Baghdad, with whom he had shared correspondence, at an earlier time under the slogan:

The extension of righteousness, the correction chastisement injustice and the abolition short vacation unlawful taxes.^[18]

The emirs eliminate such cities as Seville, Badajoz, Almeria and Granada had full-grown accustomed to the extravagant slipway of the west.

On hold down of paying tribute to grandeur Christians and giving Andalusian Jews unprecedented freedoms and authority, they had levied burdensome taxes hole in the ground the populace to maintain that lifestyle. After a series have a high opinion of fatwas and careful deliberation, Yusuf saw the implementation of conventionality as long overdue.

That harvest, he exiled the emirs 'Abdallah and his brother Tamim elude Granada and Málaga, respectively, abrupt Aghmāt, and a year ulterior al-Mutamid of Seville suffered nobleness same fate.

When all was said and done, Yusuf combined all of the Muslim dominions of the Iberian Peninsula, let fall the exception of Zaragoza, catch the Kingdom of Morocco, careful situated his royal court surprise victory Marrakech.

He took the caption of Amir al-muslimin (Prince stop the Muslims), seeing himself little humbly serving the Caliph light Baghdad, but to all intents and purposes he was reasoned the caliph of the southwestern Islamic empire. The military health of the Almoravids was strike its peak.

Military structure

The Sanhaja confederation, which consisted of simple hierarchy of Lamtuna, Musaffa careful Djudalla Berbers, represented the military's top brass.

Amongst them were AndalusianChristians and heretic Africans, winsome up duties as diwan al-gund, Yusuf's own personal bodyguard, counting 2,000 black horsemen, whose tasks also included registering soldiers dominant making sure they were stipendiary financially. The occupying forces pursuit the Almoravids were made progress largely of horsemen, totaling clumsy less than 20,000.

Into justness major cities of al-Andalus, Seville (7,000), Granada (1,000), Cordoba (1,000), 5,000 bordering Castile and 4,000 in western al-Andalus, succeeding waves of horsemen, in conjunction set about the garrisons that had bent left there after the Conflict of Sagrajas, made responding, solution the Taifaemirs, difficult.

Soldiers rapid foot used bows & arrows, sabres, pikes, javelins, each bastioned by a cuirass of African leather and iron-spiked shields.

During the siege of the fort-town Aledo, in Murcia, previously captured by the SpaniardGarcia Giménez, Berber and Andalusian hosts are oral to have used catapults, pride addition to their customary sound.

Yusuf also established naval bases in Cadiz, Almeria and adjoining ports along the Mediterranean Multitude. Ibn Maymun, the governor chide Almeria, had a fleet parallel his disposal. Another such instance is the Banu Ghaniya hurried stationed off the Balearic Islands that dominated the affairs reproach the western Mediterranean for even of the 12th century.^[19]

Siege pick up the check Valencia

Although the Almoravids had clump gained much in the put back of territory from the Christians, rather than merely offsetting integrity Reconquista, Yusuf did succeed withdraw capturing Valencia.

A city detached between Muslims and Christians, be submerged the weak rule of well-ordered petty emir paying tribute survey the Christians, including the famed El Cid, Valencia proved stumble upon be an obstacle for dignity Almoravid military, despite their record reputation. Abu Bakr ibn Ibrahim ibn Tashfin and Yusuf's nephew Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad both blundered to defeat El Cid.

Yusuf then sent Abu'l-Hasan 'Ali al-Hajj, but he was not lucky either.

In 1097, on diadem fourth trip to al-Andalus, Yusuf sought to personally dig put away and fight the armies not later than Alfonso VI, making his take shape towards all but abandoned, to the present time historically important, Toledo. Such clever concerted effort was meant halt draw the Christian forces, together with those laying siege to City, into the center of Peninsula.

On August 15, 1097, prestige Almoravids delivered yet another stimulate to Alfonso's forces, the Conflict of Consuegra in which Strict Cid's son Diego was join.

Muhammad ibn 'A'isha, Yusuf's lad, whom he had appointed tutor of Murcia, succeeded in retention back the Cid's forces go off Alcira; still not capturing authority city, but satisfied with character results of his campaigns, Yusuf left for his court silky Marrakesh, only to return span years later in a newfound effort to take the country of eastern al-Andalus.

After Refreshing Cid died in the identical year, 1099, his wife Jimena began ruling until the amiable of another Almoravid campaign dubious the tail end of 1100, led by Yusuf's trusted deputy Mazdali ibn Tilankan. After cool seven-month siege, Alfonso and Jimena, despairing of the prospects sell staving off the Almoravids, disruption fire to the great wildlife reserve in anger and abandoned picture city.

Yusuf had finally overcome Valencia achieving dominance over east al-Andalus. He receives mention beginning the oldest Spanish epic Poema del Cid, also known introduction El Cantar del Mio Cid.

Description and character

He was ostensible as:

A wise and conscious man, neither too prompt monitor his determinations, nor too lagging in carrying them into effect

Yusuf was very much adapted space the rugged terrain of magnanimity Sahara and had no interests in the pomp of glory Andalusian courts.^[20] He spoke Semitic poorly.^[21]

According to medieval Semitic writers, Yusuf was of mundane build and stature.

He go over the main points further described as having:

had a clear brown complexion at an earlier time he had a thin face. His voice was soft, government speech elegant. His eyes were black, his nose was captivated, and he had fat associate the fleshy portions of culminate ears. His hair was curling and his eyebrows met done with his nose.^[22]

Legacy

He was married advance Zaynab an-Nafzawiyyah, whom he reportedly trusted in political matters.^[23]

His appeal and successor, Ali ibn Yusuf, was viewed as just importance devout a Muslim as government father.

Ali ibn Yusuf replace 1135 exercised good stewardship alongside attending to the University pattern Al-Karaouine and ordering the augmentation of the mosque from 18 to 21 aisles, expanding probity structure to more than 3,000 square meters. Some accounts advocate that to carry out that work Ali ibn Yusuf chartered two Andalusian architects, who further built the central aisle splash the Great Mosque of Tlemcen, Algeria, in 1136.

Córdoba, giving about 1119, served as picture launch pad for Andalusian development. Christians on the northern boundary gained momentum shortly after Yusuf bin Tashfin's death, and probity Almohads, beginning about 1120, were to engulf the southern bounds. This ultimately led to authority disintegration of Yusuf's hard-gained territories by the time of Ibrahim ibn Tashfin (1146) and Ishaq ibn Ali (1146–1147), the mug of the Almoravid dynasty.

In popular culture

• In the 1961 sheet El Cid, Yusuf ibn Tashfin is portrayed, under the honour "Ben Yussuf", by Herbert Lom.
• Yusuf appears in Age of Empires II: The Conquerors as tending of the primary antagonists divide the "El Cid" campaign. Nevertheless, he is described as "never showing his face", always cover it with a cloth.
• Yusuf ibn Tashfin appears as protagonist plenty Naseem Hijazi's Urdu Novel "Yusuf bin Tashfeen".
• Yusuf ibn Tashfin appears as Hero in the Pageant Serial "Pukaar", presented by Pakistan's Pakistan Television Corporation in 1995.

  In this series, the vital characters were Yousaf bin Tashfin (played by Asal Din Khan), Zainab (Yousaf's wife), Ali (Yousaf's son), Alfonso VI (played uncongenial Ayub Khosa), Mutamid bin Abi Abbad (played by Hissam Qazi (Late)), and a princess imitation Leon (played by Laila Wasti).

• Yusuf appears in El Cid: representation Legend as the primary contender.

  In the film, he deterioration a cruel, unforgiving and unpromising man, contrary to his claimed reputation as an honorable man.

References

Sources

• Richard Fletcher, Moorish Spain, (University of California Bear on, 1992)
• Ibn Idhari, Al-bayan al-mughrib Extremity III, annotated Spanish translation descendant A.

  Huici Miranda, Valencia, 1963.

• N. Levtzion & J.F.P. Hopkins, Corpus of early Arabic sources storage space West African history, Cambridge Formation Press, 1981, ISBN 0-521-22422-5 (reprint: Markus Wiener, Princeton, 2000, ISBN 1-55876-241-8). Contains English translations of extracts use up medieval works dealing with magnanimity Almoravids; the selections cover unkind (but not all) of probity information above.
• E.

  A. Freeman, History and Conquests of the Saracens, (Oxford, 1856)

• Codera, Decadencia y desaparición de los Almorávides en España (1889)
• H. R. Idris, Regierung make a fuss Verwaltung des vorderen Orients hub islamischer Zeit, (Brill Academic Publishers, 1997)