Coins of the Almohad Caliphate (Berber state of the Maghreb)
History of the Almohads (1121-1269)
The Almohad state was founded in North Africa and Andalusia by a Berber chief named Muhammad ibn Tumart. He was succeeded by Abd al-Mu'min bin Ali al-Kufi, who succeeded in completely conquering the Almoravid state. In 1130 he declared himself caliph. Abd al-Mu'min sent an army to Andalusia to fight the Christians. He died in AH 558 (1163), after he succeeded in annexing most of Andalusia to Morocco.
His son Yusuf seized control of Eastern Andalusia, and his son Yaqub al-Mansur defeated the Spaniards at the Battle of Arak, after which the state reached the pinnacle of its strength and greatness. His reign is considered the golden era of the Almohad state. He died in 595 AH (1199).
His son Muhammad al-Nasir failed to defeat the combined Christian forces at the Battle of Al-Oqab in 609 AH (1213), which caused the decline of Almohad power and marked the beginning of the fall of the state. Five Almohad caliphs ascended the throne of the Caliphate after Muhammad al-Nasser and the last of them was Abu Al-Ala Idris Al-Watik Billah, during whose reign (1227-1232) the Almohad state was divided.
Abu Zakaria Yahya bin Abi Hafs founded the state of the Hafsds, while the Banu Marin (Marinids) declared their independence in Fez. Later, they were able to completely eliminate the Almohad state by conquering Marrakesh in 668 AH (1270).
Almohads dynasty
- Abd al-Mu'min (1130-1163)
- Abu Yaqub Yusuf (1163-1184)
- Yaqub al-Mansur (1184-1199)
- Muhammad ibn Yaqub an-Nasir (1199-1213)
- Abu Yaqub Yusuf al-Mustansir (1213-1224)
- Abdul-Wahid I (1224) Abdullah al-Adil (1224-1227)
- Abu Zakariya al-Mu'tasim (1227-1235)
- Abu Ala al-Ma'mun (1227-1232)
- Abd al-Wahid ar-Rashid (1232-1242)
- Ali Abul-Hasan as-Said (1242-1248)
- Umar al-Mustafiq (1248-1266)
- Abu Dabus (1266-1269)
Almohad dinar
The Almohad coins were minted in a style not previously seen on Islamic coins - a square inside a circle that touches a circle at the four corners to form four spaces where the marginal phrases are inscribed, and the central letters are inscribed inside the square. The Kufic line that had predominated on Islamic coins before them was replaced by the bound Naskhi script, and they inscribed the writing traditions on their coins. The indication of the date of minting was neglected.
The Almohads minted their gold dinar, first in half a mithqal, and later in a full mithqal (3.5 g), which became the standard for gold coins. both in North Africa and Andalusia. In the common people, the Almohad dinar was called the ruble.
The Almohads also minted parts of the dinar.
Abd al-Mumin Dinar
In the center:
Нет бога, кроме Аллаха и Мухаммед / Его Посланник - لمركز : لا إله إلا / الله محمد / رسول الله
In the fields:
Во имя Аллаха, Милостивого, Милосердного / Да благословит Аллах Мухаммеда / и его хорошую / чистую семью - للهامش : بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم / صلى الله على محمد / و آله الطيبين / الطاهرين.
In the center:
Аль-Махди Имам / Аль-Умма Аль-Каим / По велению Бога - المركز : المهدي امام / الأمة القائم / بأمر الله.
In the fields:
Абу Мухаммад Абд / Аль-Мумин Ибн Али / Повелитель правоверных / Хвала Богу, Господину миров - الهامش : أبو محمد عبد / المؤمن بن علي / أمير المؤمنين / الحمد لله رب العالمين.