Almoravid Dynasty

The Almoravid dynasty was a Berber Muslim dynasty that emerged around 1040, centered in present-day Morocco. It established an empire that stretched over the western Maghreb and al-Andalus, lasting until its fall to the Almohads in 1147. The Almoravids, formed from a coalition of nomadic Berber tribes, founded Marrakesh as their capital around 1070. They expanded into al-Andalus, playing a crucial role in halting the advance of Christian kingdoms, notably at the Battle of Sagrajas in 1086. This period saw the political unification of the Maghreb and al-Andalus, marking the first major Berber-led Islamic empire in the western Mediterranean.