Almohad

The Almohad movement, or Almohads, was a Berber Muslim reformist movement and later a centralized caliphate that dominated much of North Africa and Iberia in the 12th and 13th centuries. The name derives from al-Muwahhidun, meaning “the Unitarians,” reflecting the emphasis on strict tawhid (monotheism).

Origins and rise to power

The movement began in the Atlas Mountains in the early 12th century, founded by Ibn Tumart, who preached an uncompromising interpretation of Islam and denounced the ruling Almoravids as corrupt. After Ibn Tumart’s death, his successor Abd al-Mu'min established the state, captured Marrakech in 1147, and overthrew the Almoravids, founding the Almohad Caliphate.

Expansion and administration

The Almohads extended their rule across the Maghreb and into Ifriqiya (roughly modern Tunisia). Under subsequent rulers, they expanded into the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus), contesting the Christian kingdoms there. The dynasty pursued centralized caliphal authority, fostering religious orthodoxy, a tax system, and military campaigns. They are noted for monumental architecture, including the Koutoubiyya in Marrakesh and the minaret that became the Giralda in Seville.

Decline and legacy

From the early 13th century, Almohad power waned due to military reverses in Iberia, notably after the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212, and the rise of rival dynasties in the Maghreb, particularly the Marinids. By the late 13th century, the Almohad state had largely collapsed in North Africa, with remnants surviving briefly in some territories. The Almohads left a lasting architectural and cultural imprint in both North Africa and southern Iberia and influenced later Maghrebi dynasties and Islamic legal and religious traditions.