Abd al-Haqq I

Abd al-Haqq I ibn Mihyu ibn Abi Bakr ibn Hamama (died 1217) was the first Marinid sheikh, leader and an eponym of the same dynasty.^[1]

History

Around 1215, the new Almohad caliph, Yusuf II Al-Mustansir was still young and the Almohad dynasty had just received a severe defeat against Christian kingdoms of Iberia on July 1212 in the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa. There "Banu Marin" (or the Marinids) took advantage of the situation and attacked the Almohads who sent 10,000 men to fight. The battle took place on the coast of the Rif region. The Almohads are defeated. Berber nomads and tribes started to clash with the Marinids around Fes. It was again a defeat for Almohades, but Abd al-Haqq was mortally wounded (1217).

The Marinids took possession of the Rif and stayed there. The Almohads started to launch counter-attacks in vain.

References