History and Influence of the Berbers
For centuries a group of people named the Berbers occupied and ruled Northern Africa (See image below) . While the Berbers had existed for centuries, the mid 11 th century was a turning point. During this time, Ibn Abdullah as-Samin gained power by pulling together tribes in Western Sahara and calling himself a spiritual leader. His goal was to spread a “true” understanding of Islam and turn the Berbers into “proper” Muslims. As mentioned in the documentary, “ The Kingdom of Morocco, ” the Almoravids eventually took over the trading hub, Sidula Massa. In taking control of water and trading gold, the Almoravids were able to spread the “proper” form of Islam to the Berbers. The Almoravids spread across Northern Africa with as many as 2,000-foot soldiers and began to look for a place to settle. Eventually, the Almoravids set up an entire city, the region of Marrakech , with outstanding architecture and even one of the biggest hamams in Morocco, possibly the Islamic wo...