Lamtuna
Encyclopedia
The Lamtuna were a powerful nomadic Berber
tribe belonging to the Senhaja (also pronounced "Zenaga") inhabiting the western Sahara
.
During the eighth century the Lamtuna created a kingdom out of a confederation of Berber tribes, which they dominated until the early tenth century. The Lamtuna probably did not convert to Islam until the ninth century. The Almoravid dynasty, the founders of a powerful empire that in the eleventh century extended over Morocco
, Southern Iberia
and western Algeria
are from this tribe.
The Banu Ghaniya
, successors of this dynasty in Tripoli and the Nafusa mountains, originated from this tribe as well.
Lamtunas were known as the Mulathamin or Tagelmust; which mean the veiled ones in Arabic and Berber language respectively.
Berber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
tribe belonging to the Senhaja (also pronounced "Zenaga") inhabiting the western Sahara
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
.
During the eighth century the Lamtuna created a kingdom out of a confederation of Berber tribes, which they dominated until the early tenth century. The Lamtuna probably did not convert to Islam until the ninth century. The Almoravid dynasty, the founders of a powerful empire that in the eleventh century extended over Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, Southern Iberia
Iberia
The name Iberia refers to three historical regions of the old world:* Iberian Peninsula, in Southwest Europe, location of modern-day Portugal and Spain** Prehistoric Iberia...
and western Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
are from this tribe.
The Banu Ghaniya
Banu Ghaniya
The Banu Ghaniya were distant relatives of the Almoravids, who appointed them as governors of the Balearic Islands in 1126. Following the collapse of the Almoravid power at the hand of the Almohads in the 1140s, the Banu Ghaniya continued to govern the Balearic Islands as independent emirs until...
, successors of this dynasty in Tripoli and the Nafusa mountains, originated from this tribe as well.
Lamtunas were known as the Mulathamin or Tagelmust; which mean the veiled ones in Arabic and Berber language respectively.