The 11th century witnessed the most significant wave of
Arab migration, surpassing all previous movements. This event unfolded when the
Zirid dynasty of Ifriqiya proclaimed its independence from the
Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt. In retribution against the Zirids, the Fatimids dispatched large
Bedouin Arab tribes, mainly the
Banu Hilal and
Banu Sulaym, to defeat the Zirids and settle in the Maghreb. These tribes followed a
nomadic lifestyle and were originally from the
Hejaz and
Najd. They heavily transformed the culture of the Maghreb into
Arab culture, and spread nomadism in areas where agriculture was previously dominant. Sources estimate that the total number of Arab nomads who migrated to the Maghreb in the 11th century was at around 1 million Arabs. At the time of the migration, Banu Hilal were very numerous, effectively a nation divided into its own sub-tribes, of which the most notable were the Athbaj, Riyah, Jusham, Zughba, Adi, and Qurra. In
Ibn Khaldun's time (1332–1406), Riyah tribes were mainly centered in the area of eastern
Algeria around
Constantine. In 1217, Arab warriors of Riyah reinforced the
Almohad army and defeated an army of the
Marinids. The leader of Banu Marin
Abd al-Haqq I was killed in the battle and the Marinids were repelled from the region of eastern
Morocco for a long time.
Ibn Abi Zar recorded this battle and identified the Riyah Arabs as the strongest tribe in the
Maghreb. At this time, Riyah were mainly present in the central Maghreb (present-day Algeria) and northern
Ifriqiya (northern present-day
Tunisia). == References ==