Origins of the Marinids
The Marinids trace their lineage back to the Zenata Berber tribe, a significant group within the Amazigh community. This tribe has contributed to the history of the Maghreb region, giving rise to several other tribes, including the Maghila, Madiouna, Magrawa, Abd al-Wad, and Jraoua. Initially, the Marinids were nomadic herders. In the year 601 AH, conflicts arose between them and the Abd al-Wad and Wasin tribes, prompting their migration toward the plateaus of Morocco, where they eventually settled in the Melwiya Valley, situated between Morocco and the Sahara.
Unlike their cousins, the Beni Zyan and the Beni Watass, the Marinids resisted the dominion of the Almohad state, which exerted control over the Maghreb and Al-Andalus. Despite their intention to move south into the desert, the Marinids remained engaged in the political turbulence of Morocco during the Almohad era.
The Marinids and the Almohads
As previously mentioned, the Marinids were a nomadic group unaccustomed to subservience. They endeavored to establish their power in the region and frequently initiated raids on neighboring territories, consistent with the behavior of desert dwellers. When their actions led to widespread unrest and numerous complaints, the Almohad caliph, al-Mu’min, took measures to eliminate their threat.
The Marinids capitalized on the Almohad defeat in the year 610 AH during the Battle of Al-‘Uqab against the Christian kingdoms of Spain. This loss significantly weakened the central authority of the Almohads, compounded by a devastating plague that decimated the military and disrupted the security of the land. Seizing this opportunity, the Marinids overcame their forces, expanded their territory into the Rif and western regions, and temporarily aligned themselves under the nominal authority of the Hafsids, following the people’s calls for allegiance in Meknes after its capture.
From that period until 668 AH, fierce battles erupted between the Marinids and the Almohads, culminating in the Marinid victory and the eventual disintegration of the Almohad state in Marrakech. The Marinid capital was established in Fes, with Abu Yusuf Yaqub ibn Abd al-Haqq recognized as their first Sultan, who proclaimed independence from the Hafsids.
Sultan Yusuf ibn Yaqub’s Campaign in Al-Andalus
Following his entrance into Marrakech and the dissolution of Almohad rule, Sultan Yusuf ibn Yaqub was summoned for assistance by the Nasrid dynasty, who governed the Kingdom of Granada at the time. In response, he entered Al-Andalus alongside the Nasrids to counter the advances of the Castilians, leading to several significant confrontations, notably the Battle of Donuna.
In 1275, the Castilian forces, composed of a massive army of 90,000 troops led by General Donuno, faced the Marinid army under Yaqub near Granada. A fierce battle ensued, ultimately resulting in a decisive victory for the Muslims. General Donuno and approximately 18,000 of his soldiers were slain, while losses on the Muslim side were minimal, with only 24 fighters killed.
As a result, Yusuf ibn Yaqub successfully advanced into Castilian territory and reclaimed Seville, which had fallen under Castilian control. This victory significantly bolstered the remaining Muslim state in Al-Andalus at a critical time, preventing its imminent collapse and halting the Castilian advances.