The Almoravids and the Meanings of Jihad

273 Pages·2010·2.59 MB·English

by  Ronald A. Messier

The Almoravids and
the Meanings of Jihad
This page intentionally left blank
The Almoravids and
the Meanings of Jihad
RONALD A. MESSIER
Copyright2010byRonaldA.Messier
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedina
retrievalsystem,ortransmitted,inanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,
mechanical,photocopying,recording,orotherwise,exceptfortheinclusionofbrief
quotationsinareview,withoutpriorpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher.
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Messier,RonaldA.
TheAlmoravidsandthemeaningsofjihad/RonaldA.Messier.
p.cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978–0–313–38589–6(hardcopy:alk.paper)—ISBN978–0–313–38590–2
(ebook)
1. Almoravides.2. Africa,North—History—647–1517.3. Spain—History—
711–1516.4. Islam—Africa,West—History.5. Yasin,0AbdAllahibn,d.1059.
6. Jihad. I.Title.
DT199.M47 2010
0
961.022—dc22 2010017831
ISBN:978–0–313–38589–6
EISBN:978–0–313–38590–2
14 13 12 11 10 1 2 3 4 5
ThisbookisalsoavailableontheWorldWideWebasaneBook.
Visitwww.abc-clio.comfordetails.
Praeger
AnImprintofABC-CLIO,LLC
ABC-CLIO,LLC
130CremonaDrive,P.O.Box1911
SantaBarbara,California93116-1911
Thisbookisprintedonacid-freepaper
ManufacturedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
For Emily, Anne,and Frank
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction xi
Notes onDates and Transliteration xxiii
Chapter 1: IslamicReformismComes to WestAfrica,
EleventhCentury C.E. 1
Chapter 2: Gatewayof theSahara 21
Chapter 3: FromAghmat to Marrakech 35
Chapter 4: TheSecondFounding of Fez 43
Chapter 5: TheUrbanNomad 53
Chapter 6: War in theMakhzan 61
Chapter 7: Jihadin Andalusia 69
Chapter 8: TheStatesman 85
Chapter 9: A War of Sieges withtheTaifa Kings 93
Chapter 10:TheAlmoravids ConfrontEl Cid 111
Chapter 11:Ali IbnYusuf Sets His Housein Order 121
Chapter 12:Ali IbnYusuf Faces Muslimand Christian
Challengers 133
Chapter 13:Voicesof Dissent 145
viii Contents
Chapter 14:TheCenter CannotHold 161
Chapter 15:TheAlmoravids andIbn Khaldun 173
MainCharacters 179
Glossary 183
CommentaryonSources 189
Bibliography 223
Index 235
Acknowledgments
Therearealwaysmanypeopleinvolvedinwritingabook,otherthan
theauthorhimself.Therearemanysuchpeoplewhohaveassistedme
eitherdirectlyorindirectlytowhomIwillbeunabletogivepersonal
acknowledgement. To all those who are not named in the following
pages,Iextendmysincereappreciation.
IfirstcameintocontactwiththeAlmoravidsasagraduatestudentat
theUniversityofMichigandoingresearchformyPh.D.dissertation
on the circulation of gold currency in the medieval Mediterranean
World.MyguidinglightinthatearlyexposuretotheAlmoravidswas
my mentor and advisor, Professor Andrew S. Ehrenkreutz, whose
wisdomandsharp,redpencilhavehadalastinginfluence.
Two faculty research grants and one non-instructional assignment
(sabbatical)atMiddleTennesseeStateUniversityallowedmetobegin
theintensiveresearchnecessaryforthiswork.Forthatassistance,Iam
mostgrateful.
To colleagues and friends (Dr. Wilfrid Rollman, Dr. Kenneth
Perkins, Dr. June McCash, Dr. Allen Hibbard, Dr. William Caferro,
and Dr. John Vile) and to my daughter, Dr. Samantha Messier, all of
whom have read all or parts of the manuscript, I express my thanks
fortheirthoughtfulcommentsandencouragement.Iespeciallythank
Dr. John Paul Montgomery, who not only read, but carefully edited
an earlydraftof themanuscript.Hehelpedmefind aparticularvoice
with which to tell this story and taught me to listen to how writing
sounds in addition to how it reads. I thank Dr. Tom Nolan for his
generous production of the maps, Mike Summers for his sketches of