Shards of Al-Andalus: Algeria

Author's Note: My knowledge of Muslim culture is lousy at best (Bless Wikipedia!). My writing is simply intended to add flavor, and anyone is welcome to correct mistakes I have made.

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“A house divided against itself cannot stand” -Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza

Tlemcen, Algeria
2 January, 1419

Typical of a Mediterranean winter it was a pleasant afternoon, the chill ocean winds beating back the heat of the Sahara for several months out of the year. It was Dhuhr and Shaikh Abd al-Wâhid stood along a wall of Tlemcen’s Kasbah that faced east towards Mecca and the olive plantations and vineyards that surrounded the city. Dressed in a knee high green, silken tunic, trousers, and a turban the Skaikh had a weather-beaten face that went with a narrow pair of zealot’s eyes. He began to prepare for his daily prayer.

Unbuckling the ornate curved sword strapped to his waist, and propping it against a wall, al-Wâhid threw a prayer rug underneath him, to cover the dust settled against the clay. He then stood, hands to his ears and said, “Allahu Akbar, God is great.”


He folded his hands across his chest, “In the name of God, the infinitely Compassionate and Merciful. Praise be to God, Lord of all worlds. The Compassionate, the Merciful. Ruler on the Day of Reckoning. You alone do we worship, and You alone do we ask for help. Guide us on the straight path, the path of those who have received your grace; not the path of those who have brought down wrath, nor of those who wander astray. Amen.”

Al-Wâhid bent from the waist, his hands at his side. “Allahu Akbar, Holy is my Lord, the Magnificent.”

He rose, arms at the side. “Allah listens to him who praises Him. Our lord, to You is due all praise. Allahu Akbar.”

Al-Wâhid slowly lowered himself so that his forehead touched the rug. He did this three times reciting, “Glory to my Lord, the Most High. Allahu Akbar.”

He then rose, pausing, his eyes glinting from the sun. “In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Merciful. The mutual rivalry for piling up the good things of this world diverts your from the more serious things. Until ye visit the graves. But nah, ye soon shall know the reality. Again, ye soon shall know! Nay, were ye to know with certainty of mind, ye would beware! Ye shall certainly see Hell-Fire! Again, ye shall see it with certainty of sight! Then, shall ye be questioned that Day about the joy ye indulged in!”

Once more he began a rak’a, praising Allah and prostrating himself three times. Then, kneeling, al-Wâhid said. “O Allah, bless our Muhammad and the people of Muhammad; As you have blessed Abraham and the people of Abraham. Surely you are the Praiseworthy, the Glorious. O Allah, be gracious unto Muhammad and the people of Muhammad; As you were gracious unto Abraham and the people of Abraham. Surely you are the Praiseworthy, the Glorious.”

Al-Wâhid looked over his right shoulder and then left shoulder saying each time, “Peace and blessing of God be upon you.”

Finished, al-Wâhid rose and spied two guards waiting on the steps leading up to the battlements, a messenger dressed in the colors of Granada behind them.

Tlemcen was the capital of the Berber Zayyanid dynasty, whose control stretched along the Maghreb coast to the Atlas mountains bordering the vast deserts. Located at the head of the Imperial Road through the Taza Gap, the city controlled the caravan route to Sijilmasa, gateway for the gold and slave trade with western Sudan. Though trade was not was it once was, Tlemcen was still the “pearl of the Maghrib”, its beauty rivaled only by costal Algiers.

Yet times were changing, it was a different world, and, if truth be told, a dying world. Once the breadbasket of the Roman Empire, North Africa now catered to corsairs and brigands; the Banu Hilal invasion having crushed the agriculture tradition. From sheltered Algerian ports, Arabic pirates raided fat Christian commerce bringing great wealth to their Zayyanid overlords. The once great western Arabic culture, Al-Andalus, was in the final grip of a slow death, the vibrant arts and sciences slowly strangled by the Christian Reconquesta and Arab infighting. The messenger waiting near for the stairwell for the Shaikh was a painful reminder of better days. His name was Abdul-Aliyy and rolls of fat hung off his large frame. He came from the Emir of Granada, inheritors of Al-Andalus. Two hundred years ago, under the Almohads, Al-Andalus stretched from North Africa to Moorish Spain. Now it was split between Algerian Zayyanids, Tunisian Hafsids, Moroccan Merinids, and Zirid remnants in Granda.

The emissary gave a bow fitting to a king, “The Castilian king had rejected our latest tribute of slaves, and has declared war against what he calls, ‘the last remnants of an odorous race,” he said. “My emir, Muhammad, calls for the aid of his erstwhile allies across the straights.”

Al- Wâhid looked at Aliyy with scorn for a slow minute. “We shall not come,” al-Wâhid finally said. “Algerians owe no servitude to a king who has no power beyond his walls. My people already war with Portugal, a dangerous and perfidious foe whose decedent lifestyles have given them an ill-begot wealth that spurs their black crusade. War with Castile, however righteous, is something I need not indulge in for your sake.”

The emissary held his composure, though al-Wâhid noticed his bowels quiver in indignation. “Emir Uthman III is already committed to this jihad. You would play a dangerous game leaving yourself no friends.”

Al-Wâhid laughed. “Uthman is a fool who doesn’t where to piss. Yahyâ al-Wattâsî knows this and will quickly shallow Uthman’s kingdom if he sees a chance.” Al-Wâhid leaned closer to the emissary. “I am the only thing protecting Fez from annihilation, not Granada, and if Uthman refused to acknowledge that he is doomed.”

Aliyy, as righteous as al-Wâhid, replied, “A man who abandons Al-Andalus abandons his brothers. God shall strike those who act so.” He turned to leave.

“An enjoy of Granada dares speak to me of heresy! The Moors have lost God’s favor for their decadency. The Alhambra is a den of intrigue, vice, and depravity. Your defeat will be God’s message to his people that they have strayed.” al-Wâhid signaled to the guards to escort Aliyy out.

Al-Wâhid watched the messenger mount his horse and leave, bound for the merchantman that had brought him to Algeria. He was blind al-Wâhid mused. Al-Andalus strength had come from its unity of purpose. Now it was as if a broken mirror, the shards poor pieces of the original. Only by the grace of Allah could what was gone be restored.

At the start of 1419, al-Wâhid knew Algeria was weak. The Portuguese soldiers siegeing Tangiers outnumbered the combined Arab armies handily, and spies informed al-Wâhid that more soldiers were being sent under the command of a distinguished Portuguese general, Pereria. To win this war, the Shaikh knew that the nobles, and their mounted retainers, would be key. As such, he quickly handed out grants to his lords, strengthening their grip over their fiefdoms, and titles to salve their pride. Second, al-Wâhid ordered the treasury to mint new coins for the war. This would cheapen the currency as Algeria had only so much gold, but the Shaikh was willing to deal with the implications. Finally, a portion of the army was sent to strengthen the Uthman defenses, and the Zayyanid navy was dispatched to safeguard the coast.

The first two years of the war saw the Portuguese advance deeply into Fez, occupying the capital after ineffectual resistance by its defenders. However, Portuguese armies were decisively defeated by combined Algerian and Fez forces near Tlemcen. On the seas, Algiers lost a pitch battle near Gibraltar, but easily picked off Portuguese raiders that approached Algier’s coast.



On October 21st, 1421, Granada, without any practical support, its cities in ruins, conceded defeat to the Castilian powers. As part of the piece terms, Granada relinquished Gibraltar, gave a token payment of gold, and resumed tribute to Castile. Now only the majestic city of Granada, and the lands visible from its battlements remained to the Moors in Iberia.

By late 1421, Algerian troops had restored Uthman the Third to his throne in Fez, and defeated several small contingents of Portuguese soldiers sent to relieve the siege. King Joao quickly sued for terms, offering the Muslims a small sum of gold in exchange for peace. Uthman, presuming to speak for the allies who had rescued his capital, quickly agreed to the terms. Peace was signed on January 18th, 1422, though al-Wâhid did not learn of this until February. Infuriated at being excluded from the talks, al-Wâhid quickly declared war on his erst-while ally, calling Uthman a, “pawn of Westerners, too cowardly to lance anything but a goat.” The Shaikh armies marched back into Fez, still weak from the previous fighting, and overwhelmed the surviving army in a glorious clash of Arabian swords and horses.

By late August of 1423, Fez surrendered to the Zayyanids. Al-Wâhid took the port city of Tangiers as a prize and had Uthman grovel to him in an elaborate court ceremony as requirements for peace. The Arab world was stunned by the blatant treachery, though, years later, al-Wâhid remarked that divine inspiration compelled him down his path.



Afterwards, Al-Wâhid hastily declared his supplicants “independence”, fearful of a quick strike by the crafty Yahyâ al-Wattâsî of Morocco to absorb the weakened state. With peace at hand, the nobles went back to their kasbahs and al-Wâhid began to strengthen a currency which had cheapened considerably during the war. However, in early May an eager Berber named Muhammed the IV, gathered supporters to his banner and stormed the palace while al-Wâhid was away praying at a local mosque. The coup was so quick and complete that al-Wâhid had no choice but to flee Tlemcen for his families stronghold in the Atlas mountains. There he was welcomed by loyal Berbers and began to plot his revenge.

I'm afraid it's not for any good reason. I'm just lazy and haven't bothered to download the update. Generally, I'm pretty pleased with Paradox's interpretation of the Renaissance world and am never in a hurry to get the latest fix for it; though, granted, I'm not of that mind when my 12,000 army loses to 500 men, or my twenty warships lose to three.

Muhammed the IV was a strong, capable man who, however, was destined for a short reign. Usurper of a strong realm, Muhammed’s first act was to strengthen the crown’s control over the rebellious port city of Algiers, appointing tax collectors backed by the authority of the Shaikh to see that corsairs using the port gave their proper due. Shortly afterwards, Muhammed learned that Morocco had declared war on Fez and was already laying siege to the capital. Al-Wâhid warning that any transgression against Fez would be punished by Algiers gave Muhammed the perfect pretext to launch an invasion. Muhammed waited until the tiny Sultanate had collapsed before declaring war against al-Wattâsî. Algerian forces swept across the border, catching the Moroccan forces by surprise in a vicious attack that routed their armies. Muhammed than plunged deeper into Morocco, surprising the retainers who had answered their lord’s call to war and annihilating the vassals before they could coalesce into a strong army.

Unfortunately, the new Shaikh lacked the funds to wage a proper war and was forced to carefully marshal his forces. This cost precious time, dragged out the war considerably, and likely cost Muhammed his throne. Fez fell in late 1425, but Algerian cavalry were unable to force open the mountain passes leading into Morocco. Defended by stubborn bands of Tuaregs loyal to al-Wattâsî, 1000 to 500 men consistently defeated the 9,000 horseman that invaded the province.



By the winter of 1426, fighting still raged. Castile took advantage of the situation to began the final act of the Reconquesta, supported by Portugal. Discount against Muhammed quickly rose, though the young king had been careful and trained no new soldiers. Sensing weakness and dissatisfaction against Muhammed the IV, al-Wâhid had the young usurper assassinated by court attendants still loyal to the old king. Al-Wâhid procession back to the royal palace atop a magnificent white Arabian charger was greeted with cheers by the public and silent acquiescence by the nobility.

After reaffirming support for the reinstated Shaikh, al-Wâhid defeated the surviving Moroccan defenders and laid siege to al-Wattâsî’s capital. Then, taking a small force away from the siege, he began an exploration of the African deserts little known to any besides Moroccan Turaegs. This two year odyssey, undertaken during the Moroccan sieges, gave al-Wâhid a glimpse of fabulous wonders, black skinned natives, ivory and gold in abundance, all traded for Arabic merchandise that wound through the deserts in a long and tortuous route.

In April of 1428, Granada surrendered to Castilian might, formally joining the Christian nation. Arabic outrage was mollified somewhat by assurances of King Juan the II that any Muslim subjects would be designated mudeares and safeguarded by royal letters of protection. Juan promised, “on his royal world to preserve and protect the law of Muhammad.” Still, Granda’s defeat was heralded as the end of Al-Andalus. Few listened to al-Wâhid proclamations that this was not so.

Peace was signed between Algeria and Morocco in late April of 1429. Al-Wattâsî surrender Fez, half the Moroccan treasury, and formal pledged his loyalty to his lord al-Wâhid during a crisp, golden day at the Moroccan palace.



Well satisfied with the outcome of the conflict started by the long forgotten Muhammed (Though his family would remain a power in Algeria for years to come), al-Wâhid set about continuing the usurper’s taxation reform. Using the money gained from Morocco, the Shaikh strengthened crown control over the costal cities. Peace was interrupted when a revolt broke out in Tangiers, but this was quickly crushed by al-Wâhid. In the abrupt, vicious battle a quarter of the army was killed.

In late July of 1430, al-Wâhid, called the “Zayyanid Lion” by his people, died during prayer at the royal mosque at the age of fourty-two. Supporters claimed Muhammad had summoned al-Wâhid to paradise, while detractors thought the Shaikh had been struck down for his presumptuous interpretations of the Koran and heretical treatment of fellow Muslims. Regardless, Algerian expansion under al-Wâhid had claimed two new provinces, strengthened royal revenues and solidified aristocratic control of the countryside.