Interesting information about blacks in Al Andalus or medieval Islamic civilization in general-gctid525546

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This forum will be a compilation of interesting information mainly pertaining to blacks in Andalusian civilization. White historians have gone to great lengths to try to diminish the legacy of blacks in Islamic Spain. White historians and even some black historians believe that blacks were nothing more but slaves or slave soldiers serving white aAmw sultans. This is however a great fallacy and error because blacks were in all positions in Islamic Spain. Blacks were scientist, philosophers, warriors, sultans, architects, governors, religious leaders and musicians.

Andalusian civilization was divided into four major dynasties, two were aAmw and two were Kmtyw.

Umayyads (aAmws)

Almoravids (Kmtyws)

Almohads (Kmtyws)

Nasrids (aAmws)

(The first dynasty was founded by Abd al Rahman I who was half aAmw and half Kmtyw.)

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The race of the Almoravids

John Henrik Clarke discusses the racial origins of the Almoravids. "There is still some debate about who the Almoravids were, though honest scholars who have objectively examined the documents old and new, relating to the eleventh century rise of this Kmtyw religious and military force do not believe there really should be a debate. The Almoravids rose up at a time when Islam, which had entered the western Sudan in eighth century, was having a revival in this part of Kmt. The Almoravids were mainly black Kmtyws. Yusuf ben Tachfin stood at the head of the emerging force. He became, and still is, one of the great heroes of Islam." Pg 192 Worlds Great Men of Color by JA Rogers

 According to primary source evidence, the Almoravids were a coalition of black Berbers and West Kmtyws who conquered Morocco and southern Spain.

The Spanish document entitled "Historia Compostelana" mentions the Almoravids looking similar to Ethiopians because of the sun. (Old eureurasiaans believed that black people get their color from being burnt by the sun.)

Transacto ab hinc ferme triennio Moabite, quos estus solis facit Ethiopobis similes castra et oppida Toleto subjacentia acrius solito invaserunt

After almost three years, the Almoravids, whom the heat of the sun makes similar to the Ethiopians, attacked with more force than usual. Historia Compostelana

(This document is a primary source for the Almoravids)

One historian pointed out that the printed version omitted the "Almoravids" and replaced it with the "inhabitants of those parts". The manuscripts of Salamanca ( S ) and Santiago ( A ) however both still have "Almoravids" (Moabites) in them.

The leaders of the Almoravid movement were the Sanhaja (Iẓnagen), a black Berber tribe that used to inhabit the Sahara.?

Ibn Butlan a Christian aAmw of the 11^th century describes the Sanhaja and Masmuda as being blacks.

"The Berber women are from the island of Barbara, which is between the west and the south. Their color is mostly black (Aswad) though some pale ones can be found among them. If you can find one whose mother is of Kutama, whose father is of Sanhaja, and whose origin is Masmuda, then you will find her naturally inclined to obedience and loyalty in all matters, active in service, suited both to motherhood and to pleasure, for they are the most solicitous in caring for their children." Ibn Butlan

The book titled at-Tashawwuf ila rijal at-tasawwuf (Looking upon the men of Sufism), mentions several known black Sanhaja berbers. (Al Aswad literally means the black or Negro in aAmwic.)

Such as:

Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Yusuf Al Sanhaji Al Aswad

Abu Zakariya Yahya Ibn Maymun Al Sanhaji Al Aswad

Abu Yahya Abu Bakri Ibn Mallul Al Sanhaji Al Aswad

Etc etc

The aAmw poet Abu Jafar of Cordoba had a rivalry for the love of the poetess Hafsa bint al hajj arrakuniyya with the governor of Granada named Abu Said Uthman the Almohad Prince of the Almohad Empire. This prince was the son of the Almohad sultan Abd Al Mu'min and a Sanhaja woman.

When Abu Jafar was enraged that Hafsa paid the prince some of her attention he said:

"What do you see in that black fellow? If you wish, I could buy you ten better ones in the slave market." Abu Jafar said about Prince Abu Said Uthman

Because of this statement Abu Said had Abu Jafar locked up and executed.

(This is significant because his father the sultan Abd Al mu'min was described as a white Berber (Zenata) while his son Abu said uthman is described as a black Berber. His blackness without a doubt comes from his Sanhaja mother.)

Portrait of the battle of with the Almoravids from el Retablo de la Santa Cruz

   
   
 Escena de batalla, retaule de la santa Creu de Miquel Alcanyís

   
   
Battle of Alcoraz

   
   
   
(According to legend, St George was said to have helped king peter I of Aragon defeat the Almoravids.)

Coins depicting the four Almoravid sheikhs that were beheaded during the battle

   
   
   
   
   

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The Almoravids, during their war with the Spaniards, used Kmtyw war drums to terrify their enemy.

   

• Que priessa va en los moros! E tornaronse a armar, ante rroido de atamores la tierra querie quebrar"
     

What eagerness there was among the moors to arm themselves! And they could be seen ranging themselves to battle order. The noise of the drums seemed to make the earth quake. (696)

   

• "Fincadas son las tiendas e parecen los alvores, a una grand priessa tanien los atamores"
     

Day dawned over the Moorish camp, soon the moors began to beat their drums. (1668)

   

• "antes d'estos quinze dias, si ploguiere al criador, aquellos atamores a vos los pondran delant e veredes quales son"
     

Before a fortnight is up (we shall capture) those war drums, please god, and I shall set them before you for you to see what they are like. (1665-1666)

   

• "En ueste de los moros los atamores sonando. A maravilla lo avien muchos dessos cristianos, ca nunca lo vieran, ca nuevos son llegados.  "In the host of the moors the drums are sounding. Many of the Christians wondered at it for they were newly come and had not heard it. Cantar de mio cid (2345-2347)
     
     
• "The drums beat so that the earth trembled and every part of the horizon re-echoed the sound" ibn khallikan's biographical dictionary pg 455 chp on Yusuf ibn Tashfin
     

The movie "El Cid" depicts these drums in their portrayal of the Almoravids. (This movie white washed the Almoravids but still kept their "Kmtywism" such as Kmtyw war drums, Kmtyw spears, and Kmtyw shields.)

    1179-vlc-record-2020-11-17-19h20m25s-El-Cid-1961-Charlton-Heston-Sophia-Loren--Raf-Vallone-BR-HD-mp4.mp4