Abu Muhammad Abd al-Wahid ibn Abi Hafs al-Hintati (, d. 25 February 1221), or simply Abd al-Wahid, was the

Almohad The Almohad Caliphate (; or or from ) or Almohad Empire was a North African Berber Muslim empire founded in the 12th century. At its height, it controlled much of the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus) and North Africa (the Maghreb). The Almohad ...

governor of

Ifriqiya Ifriqiya ( '), also known as al-Maghrib al-Adna (), was a medieval historical region comprising today's Tunisia, eastern Algeria, and Tripolitania (roughly western Libya). It included all of what had previously been the Byzantine province of ...

from 1207 to 1221 and the father of the first

Hafsid The Hafsid dynasty ( ) was a Sunni Muslim dynasty of Berber descentC. Magbaily Fyle, ''Introduction to the History of African Civilization: Precolonial Africa'', (University Press of America, 1999), 84. that ruled Ifriqiya (modern day Tunisia, w ...

sultan Abu Zakariya Yahya.

Life

Abd al-Wahid belonged to the

Hintata The Hintata or Hin Tata were a Berbers, Berber tribal confederation belonging to the tribal group Masmuda of the High Atlas, Morocco. They were historically known for their political power in the region of Marrakesh between the twelfth century an ...

, a

Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...

tribe of the High Atlas mountains of

Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...

. His father Abu Hafs Umar ibn Yahya al-Hintati was a tribal chief of the Hintata and a close companion of

Ibn Tumart Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad Ibn Tūmart (, ca. 1080–1130) was a Muslim religion, religious scholar, teacher and political leader, from the Sous in southern present-day Morocco. He founded and served as the spiritual and first military leader ...

who contributed to the triumph of the Almohads, occupying important positions in their government. In October 1205, Abd al-Wahid led a cavalry of 4,000 soldiers and crushed in a battle at Jabal Tājrā southeast of Qābis Yahya ibn Ghaniya, the

Banu Ghaniya The Banu Ghaniya were a Massufa Sanhaja Berber dynasty and a branch of the Almoravids.Almohad Caliph

Muhammad al-Nasir Muhammad al-Nasir (,'' Muḥammad an-Nāṣir'', – 1213) was the fourth Almohad Caliph from 1199 until his death. Évariste Lévi-Provençalal-Nāṣir Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Brill Online, 2013. Reference. 9 January 2013. Co ...

, he obtained the surrender of al-Mahdia, whose governor, 'Ali ibn Ghazi, cousin of Yahya, rallied to the Almohad cause. Before leaving for

, the caliph entrusted the administration of the province of Abd al-Wahid, one of his trusted lieutenants. This strengthened the authority of Abd al-Wahid to such an extent that his successors ceased to consider themselves governors and freed themselves from the rule of the

Almohads The Almohad Caliphate (; or or from ) or Almohad Empire was a North African Berber Muslim empire founded in the 12th century. At its height, it controlled much of the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus) and North Africa (the Maghreb). The Almohad ...

in 1229. The new kingdom soon extended its power to

Béjaïa Béjaïa ( ; , , ), formerly known as Bougie and Bugia, is a Mediterranean seaport, port city and communes of Algeria, commune on the Gulf of Béjaïa in Algeria; it is the capital of Béjaïa Province. Geography Location Béjaïa owes its ...

and a number of neighboring regions. Abd al-Wahid was succeeded by his eldest son Abdullah ibn Abd al-Wahid, but he had barely declared independence when he was overthrown by his brother Abu Zakaria Yahya I, who strengthened his throne and forced his brother to agree to the title of

Sheikh Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...

and devote himself to religious life. Abd al-Wahid died in

Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...

on 25 February 1221.

References

Bibliography

* * * {{Cite encyclopedia , year=1986 , title=Ḥafṣids , encyclopedia=

Encyclopaedia of Islam The ''Encyclopaedia of Islam'' (''EI'') is a reference work that facilitates the Islamic studies, academic study of Islam. It is published by Brill Publishers, Brill and provides information on various aspects of Islam and the Muslim world, Isl ...

, publisher= E. J. BRILL , url=https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-islam-2/hafsids-SIM_2625 , last=Idris , first=H. R. , orig-year=1971 , editor1-last=Lewis , editor1-first=B. , publication-place=Leiden, Netherlands , edition=2nd , volume=III , isbn=9004081186 , editor1-link=Bernard Lewis , editor2-last=Ménage , editor2-first=V. L. , editor2-link=Victor Louis Ménage , editor3-last=Pellat , editor3-first=C. , editor3-link=Charles Pellat , editor4-last=Schacht , editor4-first=J. , editor4-link=Joseph Schacht 1221 deaths 13th-century Berber people 13th-century Moroccan people Hintata Governors of the Almohad Caliphate