The Almohad movement, having emerged around 1120CE, established a regime which, in the form of a vast empire and Moroccan caliphate, would extend for more than a century throughout the Muslim West, including Andalusia and central and eastern Maghreb (today Algeria, Tunisia and part of Libya).
The founder of the movement, Muhammad Ibn Tumart, is a preacher from the Berber tribe of Hargha, themselves belonging to the Masmoudas tribal group. He is originally from Igiliz, a small village in the middle of the Moroccan Anti-Atlas.
As early as 1120, he'd blame the Almoravids, ruling at the time over the Empire of Morocco, for their corruption, heresy and their anthropomorphism. He'll take refuge in Igiliz, his native hamlet, near Taroudant which will be considered his first Hijra and the moment during which he'll proclaim himself Imam and Mahdi.
The Atlas will constitute his main base through which he'll organize his troops in preparation for his conquest and removal of Almoravid power, while setting up his unique Tawhid ideological system, learning several Islamic concepts together to form the Almohad doctrine. Four years later, he'll move along with his followers to Tinmel in the High Atlas, which would eventually become the cradle and the first capital of the movement.
Marrakech, still the capital of the Empire, was its most radiant city, both in terms of size and beauty.
Below is an excerpt from a 13th century Christian song describing the kingdom of Morocco, of which Marrakech was a great and glorious city.
Abd al-Mumin had a fortress built called Ribat el-Fath, which would become Rabat throughout history. This city served as a base for Moroccan armies heading towards Andalusia.
Many other landmarks were built, especially in Morocco, the westernmost part of the Almohad Caliphate. Among others, we can mention the Koutoubia, the Grand Mosque of Taza or the iconic Tinmel Mosque.
The Almohad Empire was directly named Kingdom of Morocco (or in Spanish Reino de Marruecos) by Westerners. The word Morocco derives from Marrakech, capital of the Empire, which itself takes its name from Amur N Akuch, meaning Land of God in Berber.
In 1162, with the aim of forming war fleets, he commissioned the construction of 400 ships, including 220 in Morocco (el-Mamoura, Tangier, Ceuta, Badis and other ports in the Rif).
Abd al-Mumin died in Salé and was taken to Tinmel, where he'll be buried near the tomb of his predecessor, Ibn Tumart.
He was succeeded by his son, Abu Yaqub Yusuf (born in Tinmel from a union between Abd al-Mumin and the daughter of a Hintata chief). It was proclaimed after an agreement among all the Almohad chiefs and in particular with Sheikh Abu Hafs, leader of the Hintata, containing himself the functions of vizier.
Abu Yaqub Yusuf concluded the war against the Christians of Andalusia and faced a revolt in Gafsa (present-day Tunisia). He's also known for having built the Seville Mosque (now La Giralda) and for having begun work on the famous Hassan Tower in Rabat. He died fighting in Portugal and was also buried in Tinmel.
Yaqub al-Mansour will be brought to power by the Almohad sheikhs. He sent a fleet against the crusaders to take Jerusalem. Several Moroccans will participate in the repopulation of the holy city, establishing a neighborhood and a gate called “Portal of Morocco”. In fact, he'll even ambition to take over Constantinople long before the arrival of the Ottomans. (For the full article on this part of the Almohad Empire's history, follow this link.)
Under his rule, the Almohad army inflicted a great defeat on the king of Castile at Alarcos in 1195, which won him the title of al-Mansur (the Victorious). The army was mainly composed of tribes from the Maghreb al-Aqsa: the Haskoura, Ghomara, Beni Marin, Hintata, Banu Hilal but also Andalusians and some tribes from the Central Maghreb.
Yaqub al-Mansur will commission the construction of two mosques in Marrakech and will also be the architect behind the development of the city of Rabat. He died in 1199 and was buried in Marrakech.
The bustling Empire will start to decline in the 13th century, suffering various defeats from the Christians who were victorious in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212 and suffering internally from revolts across the Almohad domain. This will reduce its area to its birthplace: present-day Morocco, the conquered regions therefore each gaining their independence.
Among the kingdoms created after the fall of the Almohads were those of the Zianids of Tlemcen and the Hafsids of Tunis. Gradually, the Zenatian Marinids of northern Morocco will gradually gain territory until taking over the former empire's domain in its entirety in 1269.
