The Almoravid Rise: Morocco's Desert Empire Builders

Long before the Almohads, another dynasty swept out of the Sahara to reshape Morocco and Spain. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Almoravids — a movement born from a Berber confederation and a firebrand theologian, Abdullah ibn Yasin. We trace their conquest of Sijilmasa and Awdaghust, the founding of Marrakech, and the building of the Koutoubia Mosque's predecessor. We discuss the role of the veil (the litham), the surprising alliance with Andalusian taifa kings, and the crucial Battle of Sagrajas (1086) where Yusuf ibn Tashfin stopped the Christian advance. We also examine the Almoravids' eventual decline, their fall to the Almohads, and their lasting influence on Moroccan architecture, trade, and Islamic scholarship. A story of faith, war, and empire from the edge of the known world. #Almoravid #YusufIbnTashfin #AbdullahIbnYasin #Sijilmasa #Marrakech #BattleOfSagrajas #Koutoubia #Lamtuna #Sahara #Andalusia #TaifaKingdoms #BerberEmpire #Maghreb #NorthAfrica #MoroccanHistory #MedievalIslam #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo