Maghrawa

The Maghrawa originate from what is now Algeria,[3][4][5] where they occupied the region between the cities of Tlemcen and Ténès at the time of the early Muslim conquests.[3][4]

The Maghrawa descend from the branch of Madghis (Medghassen). The Maghrawa are the brothers of the Banu Ifran and the Irnyan. Ifren, Irnyan are the brothers of Maghra. The plural of Maghra is Aimgharen in Berber (which means "someone who has sold his share" but also "old"). We will say also say Maghrawa in literary Arabic from the point of view of the historian of the Maghreb, Ibn Khaldun.[6]

There are several tribes from the Maghrawa including Bani bou Said, Bani Ilit (Ilent), Bani Zendak, Bani Urac (Urtezmir, Urtesminn), Bani Urcifan, Bani Laghouat, Bani Righa, Bani Sidi Mansour (Bani Mansour),[7] A. Lahsen,[8] etc.

Most of the inhabitants of the Aurès are from this ancient tribe.[6] The Ouarsenis is home to the Maghraouas,[9] and the Blidéen Atlas, the Dahra Range in Tipaza, Mostaganem, Mazouna, Algiers, Cherchel, Ténès, the Chélif, Miliana and Médéah have been the territory of the Maghrawa since the Numidian times.[10]

Around the beginning of the first century the Maghrawa were very numerous in the surroundings of Icosium (Algiers) and Ptolemy of Mauritania must have contained them. Ptolemy transferred a part of the Maghrawa towards the Chlef region.[11]

Among the tribes of Maghrawa ancestry and masters of the Western Dahra in the nineteenth century, there were: the Achaachas, the Zerrifas, the Ouled Khellouf (where the mausoleum of the marabout Sidi Lakhdar is located), the Beni Zeroual and the Mediounas, most of them are communes of the wilaya of Mostaganem.

The confederation of Maghrawa actively participated in the various events of ancient life. They are the majority people of the central Maghreb among the Zenets (Gétules). Both nomadic and sedentary, the Maghrawa lived under the command of Maghrawa chiefs or Zenata. Algiers has been the territory of the Maghrawa since ancient times.[11] The name Maghrawa will be transcribed into Greek by historians. The great kingdom of the Maghrawa is located between Algiers, Cherchell, Ténès, Chlef, Miliana and Médéa. Ptolemy moved part of the Maghrawa to Chlef.[11] The Maghrawa impose their domination in the Aurès.[12] Chlef and its surroundings were populated by the Maghrawa according to Ibn Khaldun.[6] The Maghrawa settled and extended their domination throughout the Dahra and beyond Miliana to the Tafna wadi in the vicinity of Tlemcen, we find them as far as Mali.

The Maghrawa were one of the first Berber tribes to submit to Islam in the 7th century.[4] They supported Uqba ibn Nafi in his campaign to the Atlantic in 683. They defected from Sunni Islam and became Kharijites Muslims from the 8th century, and allied first with the Idrisids, and, from the 10th century, with the Andalusian Umayyads of Córdoba. As a result, they were caught up in the Umayyad-Fatimid conflict in Morocco and Algeria. Although they won a victory over the allies of the Fatimids in 924, they soon allied with them. When they switched back to the side of Córdoba, the Zirids briefly took control over most of Morocco,[6][13] and ruled on behalf of the Fatimids. In 980 they were able to drive the Miknasa out of Sijilmasa.[6]

In 976/977 the Maghrawa conquered Sijilmasa from the Banu Midrar.[2] The Maghrawa reached its peak under Ziri ibn Atiyya (to 1001) who achieved supremacy in Fez under Umayyad suzerainty, expanding their territory at the expense of the Banu Ifran (who ruled the Emirate of Tlemcen). Ziri ibn Atiyya set out conquering as much as he could of what is now northern Morocco and he was able to achieve supremacy in Fez by 987.[2] In 989 he defeated his enemy, Abu al-Bahār, which resulted in Ziri ruling from Zab to Sous Al-Aqsa in 991 achieving supremacy in the Maghreb region.[14][15]

As a result of his victory he was invited to Córdoba by Almanzor and he went bearing many lavish gifts.[16] The Ifranids took advantage of his absence and under Yaddū, managed to capture Fes.[16] After a bloody struggle, Ziri reconquered Fez in 993 and displayed Yaddū's severed head on its walls. There followed a period of peace during which time Ziri founded the city of Oujda in 994 and made it his capital.[17][18]

Word reached Almanzor that Ziri was ignoring his wishes which caused Almanzor to withdraw his support in 996. Ziri responded by acknowledging Hisham II as Caliph. Almanzor then sent an invasion force to Morocco. After three unsuccessful months, Almanzor's army were forced to retreat to the safety of Tangiers. Almanzor then sent a powerful reinforcement under his son Abd al-Malik and the armies clashed near Tangiers. During the battle, Ziri was stabbed by an African soldier who reported to Abd al-Malik that he had seriously wounded the Zenata leader. Abd al-Malik pressed home the advantage, and the wounded Ziri fled the field hotly pursued by the Caliph's army. The inhabitants of Fez would not let him enter the city, but opened the gates to Abd al-Malik on October 13, 998. Ziri fled to the Sahara, where he rallied the Zenata tribes and overthrew the unpopular remnants of the Idrisid dynasty at Tiaret. He was able to expand his territory to include Tlemcen and other parts of western Algeria, this time under Fatimid protection. Ziri died in 1001 of the eventual effects of the stab wounds. He was succeeded by his son Al-Mu'izz, who made his peace with Al-Mansur, who restored him to possession of all his father's former territories.

A revolt against the Andalusian Umayyads was put down by Al-Mansur (Abi Amir), although the Maghrawa were able to regain power in Fez. Under the succeeding rulers al-Muizz (1001-1026), Hamman (1026-1039) and Dunas (1039) they consolidated their rule in northern and central Morocco.

Internal power struggles after 1060 enabled the Almoravid dynasty to conquer the Maghrawa realm in 1070 and put an end to their rule. In the mid 11th century the Maghrawa still controlled most of Morocco, notably most of the Sous and Draa as well as Aghmat, Fez and Sijilmasa.[2] Later on the Zenata power declined and the Maghrawa and Banu Ifran began oppressing their subjects by shedding their blood, violating their women, breaking into homes to seize food and depriving traders of their goods.[19] Anyone who tried to ward them off was killed. This decline in power enabled the Almoravid dynasty to conquer the Maghrawa realm in 1070 and put an end to their rule.

The Zenata invaders took some of the best lands of the Masmuda and other peoples, the Maghrawa established themselves as a dominant military cast over the conquered people.

According to Ibn Abi Zar, the chronicler of Fez; the Maghrawa improved the walls, gates and mosques of Fez, under their rule, the city enjoyed peace. Its people were busy in building activities and the town expanded. Security and prosperity continued up until shortly before the arrival of the Almoravids. Overall, the mass migration of the Banu Ifran and Maghrawa because of the Sanhaja expansion caused political and ethnic revolution in Morocco.[20]

List of Magharawid rulers according to Ibn Khaldun:[21]

• Mohamed Ibn Al Khayr 970.
• Attia 986 - 988.[21]
  • Ziri ibn Atiyya 989 - 1001.[21]
  • El Moez Ibn Attia 1001 - 1026.[21]
    • Hammama Ibn El Moez 1026 - 1033 and 1038 - 1040.[21]
      • Abou Attaf Donas Ibn Hamama 1040 - 1059.[21]
        • Fotoh Ibn Donas 1059 - 1062.[21]
        • Ajissa Ibn Donas 1059 - 1061.[21]
          • Muanneser 1065.[21]
            • Temim de 1067 - 1068.[21]

• Awlad Mandil