Abu Said Uthman I (), or Othmane ibn Yaghmurasen or in

Algerian Arabic Algerian Arabic (, romanized: ), natively known as , or , is a variety of Arabic spoken in Algeria. It belongs to the Maghrebi Arabic dialect continuum and is mostly intelligible with the Tunisian and Moroccan dialects. Darja () means "eve ...

( أبو سعيد عثمان الأول, Abu Sa'id Othman āl-awel), ruled the Zenata

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 ...

Kingdom of Tlemcen The Kingdom of Tlemcen or Zayyanid Kingdom of Tlemcen () was a kingdom ruled by the Berber Zayyanid dynasty in what is now the northwest of Algeria. Its territory stretched from Tlemcen to the Chelif bend and Algiers, and at its zenith reached ...

(in modern day

Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...

) from March 1283 to June 1304.

Biography

Abu Said Uthman I succeeded his father Yaghmurasen ibn Zayan (reigned 1236–1283) as ruler of the

Zayyanid dynasty The Zayyanid dynasty or Ziyanids (, ''Ziyāniyyūn'') or Abd al-Wadids (, ''Bānu ʿAbd āl-Wād'') was a Berber Zenata dynasty that ruled the Kingdom of Tlemcen, mainly in modern Algeria centered on the town of Tlemcen in northwest Algeria. Th ...

. Through marriages with the

Hafsids 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 ...

, he was able to establish good relations with his eastern neighbours. This allowed Uthman I to withstand the ongoing attacks of the Marinids of Fez. The siege of Tlemcen by the Marinids was maintained from 1299 to 1307 during which time the Marinids built the siege city of al-Mansura, which was at times even used as the residence of the Marinid rulers. Despite the superiority of the Marinids, the Zayyanids were able to withstand the siege. Abu Said Uthman I did not live to see the end of the siege. Only under his successor Abu Zayyan I (reigned 1304-1308) did the Marinids withdraw back to Al-Maghrib (al-Aqsa) following the death of their Sultan and the subsequent dynastic infighting weakened their power.

Expeditions

Abu Said Uthman I led many military actions designed to consolidate his power and strengthen his position against his rivals (mainly the Marinids). *In 1287 he captured the city of Mâzoûna (located on the right bank of the

Chelif River Chelif River () (also spelled Chéliff, or Sheliff) is a river in Algeria, the longest in the country. It rises in the Saharan Atlas near the city of Aflou, flows through the Tell Atlas and empties into the Mediterranean Sea north of the cit ...

from the Maghrawa) and laid siege to the city of Taferdjint (possibly on the left bank of the

in the country of the Toudjin). *During 1290–91, he launched another expedition against the Toudjin. He marched through their lands and took control of the Wâncharis mountains, which was their refuge. Uthman I took the family members of Mohammed Ibn‘Abd el-Qawi as prisoners but later sent them back to their home. * During May 1289, he captured the city of

Ténès Ténès (; from Berber TNS 'camping') is a town in Algeria located around 200 kilometers west of the capital Algiers. , it has a population of 65,000 people. History Ténès was founded as a Phoenician port in or before the 8th centuryBC. As ...

from the Maghrawas and captured the city of Médéa from the Toudjin. * The Marinid Sultan Abu Yaqub Yusuf an-Nasr marched against Tlemcen in July 1290. After a siege lasting two months in September 1290 the Marinid Sultan returned to his capital. *A month later Abu Said Uthman I attacked the Maghrawas who had established relations with the Marinid ruler during the siege of Tlemcen. He conquered their lands and forced them to obeisance, leaving his son Abu Hammu I in command of the city of Chelif. Abu Said Uthman I then returned to Tlemcen. * In April 1291, Abu Said Uthman I marched against the Toudjin once more. He killed their leader and devastated their lands. *During 1293–94 Abu Said Uthman I took the city of Brechk located 19 miles west from

Cherchell Cherchell () is a town on Algeria's Mediterranean coast, west of Algiers. It is the seat of Cherchell District in Tipaza Province. Under the names Iol and Caesarea, it was formerly a Roman colony and the capital of the kingdoms of Numidia ...

and 8 miles East of

from Tsabit ben Mandil of the Maghrawa after 40 days of siege. Tasbit fled to Al-Maghreb (al-Aqsa) by sea. *During 1295–96, the Marinid Sultan marched against Tlemcen for the second time. He camped under the walls of Nedroma, then headed to Mount Djidara (near Oran) before returning back to his kingdom.Abou Zakarya Yah'ya Ibn Khaldoun Trad. Alfred Bel, Histoire des beni 'Abd El-Wad rois de Tlemcen jusqu'au règne d'Abou Hammou Moussa II, Alger, Imprimerie orientale Pierre Fonatana, 1904 pp. 160–164

References

* Stephan Ronart, Nandy Ronart: ''Dictionary of the Arab World.'' ''A historical-political reference work.'' Artemis Verlag, Zurich et al. 1972, . {{DEFAULTSORT:Uthman 01 Berber monarchs Zayyanid dynasty People from Tlemcen 13th-century Berber people 13th-century monarchs in Africa 14th-century monarchs in Africa

Biography

Expeditions

See also

References