Sanhaja (Berber tribal confederacy)

The Lemtuna, one of the Berber groups that had arrived in Mauritania in the eighth century, had attained political dominance in the Adrar and Hodh regions by the ninth century.

Together with two other important Berber groups, the Messufa and the Djodala, they set up the Sanhaja Confederation.

From their capital, Aoudaghast, the Lemtuna control this loose confederation and the western routes of the Saharan caravan trade that had begun to flourish after the introduction of the camel.

At its height, from the eighth to the end of the tenth century, the Sanhaja Confederation is a decentralized polity based on two distinct groups: the nomadic and very independent Berber groups, who maintain their traditional religions, and the Muslim, urban Berber merchants, who conduct the caravan trade.

Although dominated by the Sanhaja merchants, the caravan trade has its northern terminus in the Maghrebi commercial city of Sijilmasa and its southern terminus in Koumbi Saleh, capital of the Ghana Empire.

Later, the southern trade route will end in Timbuktu, capital of the Mali Empire.

Gold, ivory, and slaves are carried north in return for salt (ancient salt mines near Kediet Ij ill in northern Mauritania are still being worked), copper, cloth, and other luxury goods.

Abū Yazīd's father Kayrād was a trans-Saharan trader from Qastilia, where he was born; he had grown up in Tozeur, then head gone to Tahert, the Rustamid capital and the main center of (Ibadi) Kharijism in the Maghreb of the time and took up teaching.

The Nakkariyyah branch of Sufri Kharijism was named after him.

However, in 909 the Ismaili Shī‘ī Fatimids had conquered the Rustamids and, soon after, the Sufri state of Sijilmassa to the west.

Abū Yazīd had moved to Tiqyus and had begun agitating against Fatimid rule in 928.

When the Fatimid al-Mahdi died in 944, Abū Yazīd launches a rebellion in the Aures mountains and declares himself Shaykh al-Mu'minīn "Elder of the Believers", seeking aid from the Umayyads of Andalus.

Early in his rebellion, Abū Yazīd is given a gray donkey which he uses to ride, for which he receives the nickname "Possessor of the donkey.”

Abū Yazīd also habitually wears a short woolen jubba cloak and with his conspicuous frugality, he recalls the Kharijite imams of Tahert and Sijilmassa.

Abū Yazīd is initially notably successful.

He takes Baghai, then …

…Tebessa, …

…Medjama, and …

…several Tunisian cities, including Béja, where he is said to have massacred the civilian population.

The population of Tunis throws out their governor and lets Abū Yazīd in.

By the end of the year, …

…Abu Yazid has conquered Kairouan itself, dealing several severe defeats to the Fatimid armies.

Buluggin ibn Ziri, son of Ziri ibn Manad, founds the city of Algiers in 944.

The Fatimid realm has been plunged into crisis by the revolt of Abu Yazid, who has united the Kharijite Berber tribes of the Aurès Mountains of eastern Algeria and overrun Ifriqiya.

Imam Al-Qaim has been able to hold out in Mahdia with the help of the navy for over a year, but dies on May 17, 946 before the revolt can be put down.

He is succeeded by his son Ismail al-Mansur, under whose leadership the Fatimid forces recover their position, first breaking the siege of Sousse and then driving Abū Yazīd's forces out of Kairouan back into the Aurès Mountains.

The Fatimids in 947 finally defeat Abu Yazid’s rebels in the Kiyana Mountains near what will later become Qalaat Beni Hammad.