Re: Berbers

[Donald Wagner <polearmed@att.net>]

Poster: Donald Wagner <polearmed@att.net>

Dafydd is always full of information!

The Berbers are actually pretty interesting.  Their tribal attitude and
loyalties developed while roaming North Africa and Iberia, mixed well
with the basques cultural stance and they had no problem being loyal to
a "principality".

Yet when Alliances of tribes and principalities were formed, or when the
caliphate or ruling dynasty(regional or no) exacted their influence, the
Berbers had a way of NOT cooperating, and NOT playing well with others.

The failure of the almoravides in the 11th is largely(in Spain anyway)
heaped on the disposition for inherent clan-like in fighting.  The
Spanish Princes, Kings, and Mercenaries(like El Cid, Alvar Fanez, etc)
learned to capitalize on this.  In fact, the four provinces of Spain did
not truly come together to fight the common foe until 1212 at las Navas
de Tollosa, where the almohades were decisively defeated for the first
time, three generations past El Cid.

The cool thing about the Muslim wave, which definitely did more good
than the mongolian tide(sorry, Magnus) for the world, was education. 
Education is a huge part the surrender to Allah(Islam), even so that a
Muslim seeking his education is afforded the same indulgences as a
soldier on jihad, or a pilgrim on haaj.  Should they die, regardless of
their past actions, Allah, oft forgiving and merciful, will forgive
their transgressions and receive them to sit at His right hand.

This tenet caused education to filter into lower Iberia faster than the
regions around it.  This was a good thing for them, as Iberia became
rich, fertile, cultured, and the Muslim arts flourished.  When the
Muslims were pushed back to Granada, their influence remained and now
the culture of alandalus is renowed even today.

I'm starting to sound like Eogan, huh.  'Cept Ah'll no be spakin' dat
silly crap noone can read.

Falcone
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