Almohad–Ayyubid war of 1187–1188

Almohad–Ayyubid war 1187–1188
Date 1187–1188 Location Ifriqiya Result Almohad victory Reconquest of Ifriqiya Capture of Tripoli Qaraqush submits to the Almohad caliph
Belligerents
Almohad caliphate	Ayyubid sultanate Banu Ghaniya
Commanders and leaders
Yaqub al-Mansur Abu Yusuf Ibn Abi Hafs	Sharaf al-Din Qaraqush
Strength
20,000	Unknown

The Almohad–Ayyubid war of 1187–1188 took place when Ayyubid armies led by Sharaf al-Din Qaraqush entered the Almohad province of Ifriqiya and annexed it.

Background

In 1187, multiple Ayyubid armies were sent to Ifriqiya by Sultan Saladin, who gave command of his armies to a Mamluk commander, Qaraqush, who gradually annexed Ifriqiya.

Yaqub al-Mansur, the Almohad Caliph, was in al-Andalus when he learned of this. He returned to Fez and prepared an army of approximately 20,000 men.

War

The Almohad forces, commanded by Ifriqiya's governor, faced challenges dealing with Qaraqush. Consequently, the caliph personally intervened, leading to Ya'qub al-Mansur's 1186 expedition to Ifriqiya. The decision to bring only 20,000 cavalry was influenced by the aftermath of Qaraqush and his allies, as Ibn al-Athir notes that the region lacked sufficient food and fodder to sustain a larger force.

The caliph visited the Mahdi Ibn Tumart's tomb in Tinmal, then went to Fez and Taza for some admin matters. Moving east to Constantine, he learned Qaraqush and his allies gathered in Qayrawan. The caliph wanted an immediate attack, but Almohad shaykhs suggested resting in Tunis first. He followed their advice. In Tunis, Ya'qub al-Mansur sent the Ifriqiya governor, Abu Yusuf Ibn Abi Hafs, to face Qaraqush and allies.

The Almohad army faced internal divisions, leading to exhaustion and hunger during a decisive battle against Qaraqush. Prominent prisoners, like Ibn al-Reberter, were captured and tortured. The caliph prepared and reinforced his army in Tunis for a rematch. After strategic moves and engagements, the Almohads triumphed, capturing Qafsa. The caliph sent a letter to Marrakesh, reporting victory and sharing important details about Qaraqush's alliances and negotiations. The fate of individuals like Ibn Qaratikin and Yuzaba remained unclear among conflicting accounts. The caliph returned to Tunis, appointing Abu Zayd as governor, but political plots against him in Marrakesh led to his return via Tahart and Tilimsan.

Al-Mansur arrived in Tunis and gave an army of 6,000 horsemen to his nephew, who was defeated. He then took command of the armies himself and met Qaraqush, who had allied with the tribe of Banu Ghaniya, at El Hamma, where the Almohads emerged victorious.

Al-Mansur returned to Tunis until September 20 before raising an army near Gabès, where he routed Ibn Ghaniya and his family. Following the battle, al-Mansur besieged and captured Gabès. Women and children were imprisoned and brought back to Morocco.

Al-Mansur continued his reconquest by taking Tozeur, where he massacred the inhabitants and destroyed the city. He then returned to Gabès and massacred the Banu Ghaniya and Arab contingents of the Ayyubid army, but integrated its Oghuz Turk contingents into his army. Following this, in 1188, al-Mansur besieged and captured Tripoli, which marked the end of the war.

Aftermath

Saladin had initially shown interest in conquering North Africa in 1175, but by 1189 his priorities had changed. He focused on Syria and Palestine, in response to the threat of the Third Crusade. He appealed for help from Yaqub al-Mansur to face this threat. After his defeat by the Almohads and the loss of Egyptian support, Qaraqush abandoned his alliance with the Banu Ghaniya and submitted to the Almohad in Tunis. In a letter addressed to al-Mansur in 1190, Saladin disavowed Qaraqush and his companions for their acts of plunder and violence.

Further reading

• Baadj, Amar S. (2015). Saladin, the Almohads and the Banū Ghāniya: The Contest for North Africa (12th and 13th centuries). Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-29857-6.