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Yusuf ibn Tashfin
Almoravid era (11th c.)Maghreb / Intellectual history
📖Their story
Born among the Sanhaja of the Sahara, Yusuf rose through the Almoravid movement to lead an empire that stretched from the Senegal River to Andalusia. Famous for his austere lifestyle and disciplined cavalry, he answered the call of Andalusian princes and stopped the Christian advance at Zallaqa.
⭐Why they matter
He united much of the western Maghreb and saved Muslim Andalusia at a critical moment.
💡Did you know?
He founded the city of Marrakesh as the Almoravid capital in 1070.