Maqil
Encyclopedia
The Maqil were an Arabian nomadic tribe that emigrated to the Maghreb
Maghreb
The Maghreb is the region of Northwest Africa, west of Egypt. It includes five countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania and the disputed territory of Western Sahara...

 region, with the Banu Hillal and Banu Sulaym tribes, in the 11th century. They mainly settled in and around 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...

's Saharan wolds and oases; in Tafilalet, Wad Nun (near Guelmim
Guelmim
Guelmim , is a town in southern Morocco, often nicknamed Gateway to the Desert . The population of the city is 95,749 . It is the capital of the Guelmim-Es Semara region which includes southern Morocco and northern Western Sahara. It is home to a camel market...

), Draa and Taourirt
Taourirt
Taourirt is a village in northern Algeria. It is located in Bouïra Province.Nearby towns and villages include Tassift , M'Chedallah, Chorfa , Boudjellil and Sidi Brahim .....

. Despite their originally small number (less than 200) they later played a regionally significant role in fighting the Merinids, whereas they were forced to subjugate themselves to their authority at times when the central power of this dynasty was strong. They were also influential in altering the culture of these regions. This, today, mainly manifests in the Hassaniya
Hassaniya
Hassānīya is the variety of Arabic originally spoken by the Beni Hassān Bedouin tribes, who extended their authority over most of Mauritania and the Western Sahara between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries. It has almost completely replaced the Berber languages spoken in this region...

 language which was named after one of their sub-groups.

Origins

The exact origin of the Maqil tribe is unknown. They claimed for themselves a prestigious Hashemite descent from Jaafar ibn Abi Talib
Ja'far ibn Abī Tālib
Ja‘far ibn Abī Tālib , also known as Ja‘far at-Tayyār, was the son of Abu Talib ibn 'Abdul Muttalib , and the elder brother of the fourth Sunni and first Shia caliph, Ali ibn Abi Talib...

, son of Abu Talib
Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib
Abi Tlib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib also known as Abu Talib ibn al-Muttalib.Talib was in reality the elder son of Abd Munāf and elder brother to Ali Ibn Abd Munāf. He was an head of Bani Hashim clan of Quraysh tribe of Mecca in Arabia. He was married to Fatima bint Asad and was an uncle of the...

 and brother of Ali ibn Abi Talib. Arabian genealogists categorized them as Hillalians. Ibn Khaldun
Ibn Khaldun
Ibn Khaldūn or Ibn Khaldoun was an Arab Tunisian historiographer and historian who is often viewed as one of the forerunners of modern historiography, sociology and economics...

 wrote that both of these versions are false, since the Hashemites lived in urban cities and weren't nomadic nor ever wandered in desert wolds. He added that the Maqil is a name only found in Yemen.

Ibn Khaldun
Ibn Khaldun
Ibn Khaldūn or Ibn Khaldoun was an Arab Tunisian historiographer and historian who is often viewed as one of the forerunners of modern historiography, sociology and economics...

 speculated that they were likely an Arab nomadic group from Yemen, and this is supported by Ibn al-Kalbi
Ibn Dihya al-Kalby
Ibn Dihya al-Kalby was a Moorish Islamic scholar and writer. In order to further his studies, he traveled from Al-Andalus to Marrakesh, Morocco, then to Egypt and Iraq...

 and Ibn Said.

Beni Ubayd Allah

The Banu Ubayd Allah descended from Ubayd Allah ibn Sahir (or Saqil), son of the Maqil forefather. They were the biggest sub-group of the Maqil and lived as nomads in the southern hills between Tlemcen
Tlemcen
Tlemcen is a town in Northwestern Algeria, and the capital of the province of the same name. It is located inland in the center of a region known for its olive plantations and vineyards...

 and Taourirt
Taourirt, Morocco
Taourirt is a town in Taourirt Province in the northern part of Morocco. Situated in the Oriental region about 100 km west to the city of Oujda....

. In their nomadic travel they reached as far as the Melwiya river
Moulouya River
The Moulouya River is a 520 km-long river in Morocco. Its sources are located in the Middle Atlas. It empties into the Mediterranean Sea near Saidia, in Northeast Morocco at about . Water level in the river often fluctuates. The river is used for irrigation...

 in the north and Tuat
Tuat
Tuat is a desert region in central Algeria that contains a string of small oases. In the past, the oases were important for caravans crossing the Sahara desert.-Geography:...

 in the south.
The Beni Ubayd Allah later divided into two sub-tribes: The Haraj and The Kharaj

Beni Mansour

The Banu Mansour descended from Mansour ben Mohamed, the second son of the Maqil forefather. They lived as nomads between Taourirt
Taourirt
Taourirt is a village in northern Algeria. It is located in Bouïra Province.Nearby towns and villages include Tassift , M'Chedallah, Chorfa , Boudjellil and Sidi Brahim .....

 and the Draa valley. At one time they controlled the area between the Moulouya River
Moulouya River
The Moulouya River is a 520 km-long river in Morocco. Its sources are located in the Middle Atlas. It empties into the Mediterranean Sea near Saidia, in Northeast Morocco at about . Water level in the river often fluctuates. The river is used for irrigation...

 and Sijilmasa
Sijilmasa
Sijilmasa was a medieval trade entrepôt at the northern edge of the Sahara Desert in Morocco. The ruins of the town lie along the River Ziz in the Tafilalt oasis near the town of Rissani...

, in addition to Taza
Taza
Taza is a city in northern Morocco, which occupies the corridor between the Rif mountians and Middle Atlas mountains, about 120 km east of Fez. It is located at 150 km from Nador, and 210 km from Oujda...

 and Tadla. They were the second most numerous Maqil sub-tribe after the Beni Ubayd Allah.

Beni Hassan

The Banu Hassan descended from Hassan ben Mokhtar ben Mohamed, the second son of the Maqil forefather. They were thus the cousins of Beni Mansour. The Banu Hassan sub-tribe is, however, not limited to the descendents of Hassan, they also include the Shebanat (sons of Shebana the brother of Hassan) and the Reguitat who descended from the other sons of Mohamed; namely Jalal, Salem and Uthman. They wandered in the Sous
Sous
The Sous or Souss is a region in southern Morocco. Geologically, it is the alluvial basin of the Oued Sous , separated from the Sahara by the Anti-Atlas Mountains...

 and the extreme-Sous
Sous
The Sous or Souss is a region in southern Morocco. Geologically, it is the alluvial basin of the Oued Sous , separated from the Sahara by the Anti-Atlas Mountains...

 (present-day southern Morocco) but they had originally lived as nomads near the Melwiya river
Moulouya River
The Moulouya River is a 520 km-long river in Morocco. Its sources are located in the Middle Atlas. It empties into the Mediterranean Sea near Saidia, in Northeast Morocco at about . Water level in the river often fluctuates. The river is used for irrigation...

 neighboring their relatives; the Banu Ubayd Allah and Banu Mansour. Their coming to the Sous
Sous
The Sous or Souss is a region in southern Morocco. Geologically, it is the alluvial basin of the Oued Sous , separated from the Sahara by the Anti-Atlas Mountains...

 was a result of the Almohad governor of this region who invited them to fight for him when a rebellion broke during the agonizing period of the Almohad dynasty.

Thaaliba

The Thaaliba were the descendents of Thaalab ben Ali ben Bakr ben Sahir (or Saqir or Suhair) son of the Maqil forefather. This group was less fortunate than their relatives as they gave up on nomadism and sedentarized in a region close to Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...

. They lived there for four centuries and were severely oppressed and defeated by the successive Berber
Berber
Berber may refer to:*a member of the Berber people**the Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages**Berberism, a political-cultural term supporting a distinct Berber identity**Berber calendar**Berber cuisine...

 kings and eventually went extinct after suffering multiple heavy losses in the wars that opposed them to the Abdelwadid leader Yaghmurasan Ibn Zyan.

emigration to the Maghreb

The Maqils entered the Maghreb during the wave of emigration of the Arabian tribes (Banu Hillal and Banu Sulaym) in the 11th century. Their original number was extremely small and has been reported as less than 200 individuals. The Banu Sulaym opposed their arrival and fought them off. They later allied with the Banu Hillal and entered under their protection. Which enabled them to wander in the Moroccan Saharan wolds between Moulouya River
Moulouya River
The Moulouya River is a 520 km-long river in Morocco. Its sources are located in the Middle Atlas. It empties into the Mediterranean Sea near Saidia, in Northeast Morocco at about . Water level in the river often fluctuates. The river is used for irrigation...

 and the Tafilalet oases. A tiny group of them however stayed in Tunisia, during their westward transit in the Maghreb
Maghreb
The Maghreb is the region of Northwest Africa, west of Egypt. It includes five countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania and the disputed territory of Western Sahara...

, and briefly worked as viziers of the victorious Hillalians and Banu Sulaym, who had freshly defeated the powerful Zirid
Zirid
The Zirid dynasty were a Sanhadja Berber dynasty, originating in modern Algeria, initially on behalf of the Fatimids, for about two centuries, until weakened by the Banu Hilal and finally destroyed by the Almohads. Their capital was Kairouan...

s.

The Maqils quickly grown in numbers, this is due to the fact that parts of many other Arabian tribes joined them, which included:
  • The Fezara of Asheja
  • The Chetha of Kurfa
  • The Mehaya of Iyad (or Ayad)
  • The Shuara of Hassin
  • The Sabah of al-Akhdar
  • Some of The Banu Sulaym


Once in Morocco, they allied with the Zenata
Zenata
Zenata were an ethnic group of North Africa, who were technically an Eastern Berber group and who are found in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco....

 nomadic groups that neighbored them in the wolds. After the decline of the Almohad
Almohad
The Almohad Dynasty , was a Moroccan Berber-Muslim dynasty founded in the 12th century that established a Berber state in Tinmel in the Atlas Mountains in roughly 1120.The movement was started by Ibn Tumart in the Masmuda tribe, followed by Abd al-Mu'min al-Gumi between 1130 and his...

 authority, the Maqil took advantage of the civil war between the different Zenata
Zenata
Zenata were an ethnic group of North Africa, who were technically an Eastern Berber group and who are found in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco....

 groups and seized control of various Ksours and oases in the Sous
Sous
The Sous or Souss is a region in southern Morocco. Geologically, it is the alluvial basin of the Oued Sous , separated from the Sahara by the Anti-Atlas Mountains...

, Draa, Tuat
Tuat
Tuat is a desert region in central Algeria that contains a string of small oases. In the past, the oases were important for caravans crossing the Sahara desert.-Geography:...

 and Taourirt
Taourirt, Morocco
Taourirt is a town in Taourirt Province in the northern part of Morocco. Situated in the Oriental region about 100 km west to the city of Oujda....

 upon which they imposed taxes, whereas giving a certain amount of the collected money to the local competing Zenata
Zenata
Zenata were an ethnic group of North Africa, who were technically an Eastern Berber group and who are found in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco....

 kings.

Evolution under the Almohads

Under the strong Almohad
Almohad
The Almohad Dynasty , was a Moroccan Berber-Muslim dynasty founded in the 12th century that established a Berber state in Tinmel in the Atlas Mountains in roughly 1120.The movement was started by Ibn Tumart in the Masmuda tribe, followed by Abd al-Mu'min al-Gumi between 1130 and his...

 authority, the Maqils stayed loyal, payed taxes and didn't loot nor attack any Villages, Ksours or passing trading Caravans. As the power of the Almohads declined, the Maqils took advantage of the lack of central state authority and the civil war between the Zenata, and seized the control of many Ksours around Tafilalet, the Draa Valley and Taourirt
Taourirt, Morocco
Taourirt is a town in Taourirt Province in the northern part of Morocco. Situated in the Oriental region about 100 km west to the city of Oujda....

.

Evolution under the Abdelwadid and Merinids

The various sub-groups of the Maqils behaved differently towards the competing dynasties of Banu Merin and Banu Abdelwad.(Both of them were Zenata
Zenata
Zenata were an ethnic group of North Africa, who were technically an Eastern Berber group and who are found in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco....

)
The Kharaj of Banu Ubayd Allah initially opposed the Zenata Abdelwadids, but later allied with them when they were severely defeated by Yghmoracen, the first Abdelwadid Sultan. When the Merinids replaced the Abdelwadids the Kharaj remaind faithful to the Abdelwadids since those, at the decline, had given them tax collection privileges. The Merinid Sultan, Abu al-Hassan then stripped them off of these acquired advantages and gave it instead to the Berber
Berber
Berber may refer to:*a member of the Berber people**the Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages**Berberism, a political-cultural term supporting a distinct Berber identity**Berber calendar**Berber cuisine...

 Beni Iznassen tribe. Unhappy with this treatment, the Kharaj rebelled, killed the Merinid governor of the Saharan Ksours, Yahya ibn Al-iz, and escaped far eastwards to the remote desert in fear of the Sultan's retaliation.

The second group of Beni Ubayd Allah -the Haraj- who inhabited west of Taourirt
Taourirt, Morocco
Taourirt is a town in Taourirt Province in the northern part of Morocco. Situated in the Oriental region about 100 km west to the city of Oujda....

, subjugated themselves to the Merinids and remained their allies.

Similar to the Kharaj of Beni Ubayd Allah, the Banu Nassr fought the Merinid authority but eventually lost even when they tried to ally with the declining Abdelwadids; they hosted the escaping and defeated Abdelwadid Sultan, Abu Hammu II
Abu Hammu II
Abu Hammu II was an Abdalwadid Sultan of the Tlemcen in Algeria in the 14th century.Also known as Abu Hammu Musa II he first came to power in Tlemcen and surrounding area with the expulsion of the Merinids in 1359. The following year Abu Hammu was succeeded in power by Abu Zayyan Muhammad II ibn...

 Something for-which they were severely punished.

The Beni Hassan also fought the Merinids when the latter were away in Tlemcen
Tlemcen
Tlemcen is a town in Northwestern Algeria, and the capital of the province of the same name. It is located inland in the center of a region known for its olive plantations and vineyards...

 fighting the Abdelwadids, the Beni Hassan rebelled and killed the Merinid governor of the Sous
Sous
The Sous or Souss is a region in southern Morocco. Geologically, it is the alluvial basin of the Oued Sous , separated from the Sahara by the Anti-Atlas Mountains...

. Once the eastern front secured, the Merinid Sultan sent an army that severely defeated the Beni Hassan. Additionally, he imposed a heavy tribute on the Beni Hassan for their betrayal. They remained under the Merinid firm authority, in a state of servitude, until the decline of this dynasty.

Today

Populations of south-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...

, Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...

, southern-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...

 and Western Sahara
Western Sahara
Western Sahara is a disputed territory in North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly...

 speak a unique variety of Arabic called the Hassaniya
Hassaniya
Hassānīya is the variety of Arabic originally spoken by the Beni Hassān Bedouin tribes, who extended their authority over most of Mauritania and the Western Sahara between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries. It has almost completely replaced the Berber languages spoken in this region...

, which is named after the Beni Hassan sub-group of the Maqils.
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