Almohades is a corrupted form by the Spanish, the proper name is Al-Mowahideen, in Arabic it means The Unitarians. Al-Mowahideen founded the fifth Moorish dynasty in the 12th century, holding power over much of North Africa, Egypt, and Muslim regions of Spain.

The Amirs (princes) are as follow,

1145: Abdul-Mumin.
1163: Abu Yacoub.
1184: Abu Yosef (Al-Mansur: the victorious.)
1199: Mohammed III. (Al-Nasir: the victorious.)
1214: Abu Yacoub (Al-Mustansir: the victorious.)
1223: Abdul-Wahid (Al-Makhluwi)
1224: Abdul-Allah (Abu Mohammed)
1226: Yahya. (Al-Mutasfin: the suffi)
1229: Idris III (Al-Mamun: the beliver)
1232: Rashid I (Abdul-Wahid)
1242: Al-Sayed Al-Mutadid
1248: Omar. (Al-Mortada: the accepter.)
1266 – 1269: Idris IV (Al-Wathik: the certain.)


Al-Mowahideen founder was Mohammed ibn Tumart, from the Masmuda Berber tribe of the Atlas Mountains. Mohammed went to Mecca at an early age to perform pilgrimage. He was expelled from Mecca because of his harsh restriction on the perceived leniency of others. After his expulsion he went to Baghdad and learned from the orthodox Al-Ash'ari. Mohammed came with a new doctrine by combining Al-Ash'ari doctrine, along with Sufi mysticism from Ghazali.

Mohammed's main policy was harsh Unitarianism denying free existence of the attributes of God because it is incompatible with his unity because it is a polytheistic idea. Mohammed's ideas represent a rebellion; he was rigid in predestination and firm implementer of the law.

At the age of 28, he returned to Morocco to preach and rouse. He headed attacks on wine shops and other appearances of lack of discipline. Further, he assaulted the sister of Murabit (Almoravide) Amir Ali III in the street because she was wandering unveiled. Ali III was respectful to any signs of apparent piousness and did not punish Mohammed.

Mohammed has been exiled from many towns because of his reform zeal. In the end, he took asylum among his own people, Masmuda, in Atlas Mountains. His influence would not have outlived him if his successor Abdul-Mumin did not carry on Mohammed's legacy. Mohammed died in 1128.

Abdul-Mumin hid Mohammed’s death for 2 years. Between 1130 and 1163, Abdul-Mumin defeated Murabits and established Mowahideen dominance over much of North Africa and Spain. In 1170 the capital was transferred to Seville.

The tyranny of Abu Yacoub and Abu Yosef Al-Mansur during 1163 toward 1184 made Jewish and Christian citizens flee to Portugal, Castile and Aragon. But with time both their zeal subsided. Abu Yusuf Al-Mansour (the victorious) title was earned after defeating Alponso VIII at Alacros in 1195.

In 1212, Mohammed III was defeated by five Christian princes in alliance at Las Navas. Because of this defeat all Moorish rule in Spain was lost, partly because of Christian conquest, and partly because of Muslims revolts in Granada putting themselves under protection of Christian kings.

The decline of the Mowahideen in the following years after the defeat at Las Navas was caused by slow revolts in much of North Africa. The last of the Amirs, Idris IV, who only had dominion over Marrakech, was murdered by a slave in 1269.