Almohades

Almohades, the name of a Moslem dynasty that ruled in Africa and Spain during the 12th and 13th centuries. The word is Arabic, signifying 'worshippers of the one true God,' and was assumed as a term of distinction. This sect, which at first was religious rather than political, was founded among the Atlas Mountains by Ibn Tomrul Abdallah, and in 1146, under the leadership of Abd-ul-Mumen, put an end by the conquest of Morocco to the empire of the Almoravides in Africa, and next extended its career of conquest to Spain. Under Jakub Almansor they won in 1195, at Alarcos, a great victory over the Castilians. In 1210 Mohammed, the successor of Jakub, came with a great army to Spain, but was overthrown in 1212 by the united kings of Castile, Aragon, and Navarre, in the famous battle of Navas de Tolosa, in which it is said that 100,000 Moors were left upon the field. This great defeat was the beginning of the downfall of Moorish power in Spain; its most immediate result was the disappearance of the Almohades from the peninsula. The empire of the Almohades in Africa was brought to an end in 1269, through revolts of the nomadic tribes. See ALMORAVIDES; and Dozy's edition of the History of Abd-ul-Wahid (1847, 2d ed. 1881).