The Zayyanid Emirate: Morocco's Forgotten Kingdom of Tlemcen

Most histories of medieval Morocco focus on the great empires of the Almoravids, Almohads, and Marinids. But between them, in the borderlands of modern Algeria, a Berber dynasty held its ground for over three centuries: the Zayyanids of Tlemcen. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the rise of Yaghmurasan ibn Zayyan, a Zenata Berber chieftain who forged a kingdom out of the collapse of Almohad power. They trace Tlemcen's golden age under Abu Hammu I and Abu Tashfin, when the city rivaled Fez as a hub of trans-Saharan gold and Mediterranean trade. They discuss the devastating Marinid sieges that turned Tlemcen into a 'city of ashes,' the tactical brilliance of Yaghmurasan, and the Zayyanid alliance with the Nasrids of Granada and the Castilians. The episode also covers the role of the Tlemcen corniche, the plague's impact, and the final collapse under the rising power of the Barbary corsairs. A tale of resilience in the shadow of giants. #Zayyanid #Tlemcen #Yaghmurasan #AbuHammu #AbuTashfin #Marinid #Almohad #Nasrid #Granada #Berber #Zenata #TransSaharanTrade #BarbaryCoast #MedievalMorocco #NorthAfrica #History #FexingoHistory #ForgottenKingdoms Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo