Marinid Sultanate: Map & History
The Marinid dynasty was a Berber Zenata dynasty that ruled much of the Maghreb, chiefly present-day Morocco, from the mid-13th to the 15th century.
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The Marinid dynasty was a Berber Zenata dynasty that ruled much of the Maghreb, chiefly present-day Morocco, from the mid-13th to the 15th century. At various times, they also extended their authority over parts of present-day Algeria, Tunisia, and southern Spain around Gibraltar. Although of Berber origin, the Marinid rulers were culturally Arabized. The dynasty takes its name from the Banū Marīn, the Zenata Berber tribe from which it originated.
Modern Countries Once Part of Marinid Sultanate
At its mapped extent, Marinid Sultanate covered territory in 4 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Morocco1250–1467 CE · most
- Tunisia1352–1362 CE · most
- Algeria1344–1362 CE · a large part
- Libya1352–1362 CE · a small part
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Marinid Sultanate's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Marinid Sultanate in Depth
History
The Marinids were a faction of the Berber tribal confederation of the Zenata. The Banu Marin were nomads who originated from the Zab (a region around Biskra in modern-day Algeria). Following the arrival of Arab Bedouins in North Africa in the middle of the 11th-12th centuries, they were pushed to leave their lands in the region of Biskra. They moved to the north-west of present-day Algeria, before entering en masse into what is now Morocco by the beginning of the 13th century. The Banu Marin first frequented the area between Sijilmasa and Figuig, at times reaching as far as the Zab. They moved seasonally from the Figuig oasis to the Moulouya River basin.
According to Ibn Khaldun, the ancestors of the Banu Marin were the Banu Wasin.
Government
In many respects, the Marinids reproduced or continued the social and political structures that existed under the Almohads, ruling a primarily tribal state that relied on the loyalty of their own tribe and allies to maintain order and that imposed very little official civil administrative structures in the provinces beyond the capital. They also maintained the Berber traditions of democratic or consultative government, particularly through the existence of a council of Marinid tribal chiefs whom the sultan consulted when necessary, primarily on military matters. To maintain their control over the provinces beyond the capital of Fez, the Marinids mostly relied on appointing their family members to governorships or on securing local alliances through marriage.
Military
The Marinid army was largely composed of tribes loyal to the Marinids or associated with the ruling dynasty. However, the number of men these tribes could field had its limits, which required the sultans to recruit from other tribes and from mercenaries. Additional troops were drawn from other Zenata tribes of the central Maghreb and from the Arab tribes such as the Banu Hilal and Banu Ma'qil, who had moved further west into the Maghreb during the Almohad period. The Marinids also continued to hire Christian mercenaries from Europe, as their Almohad predecessors had done, who consisted mainly of cavalry and served as the sultan's bodyguard. This heterogeneity of the army is one of the reasons that direct central government control was not possible across the entire Marinid realm.
Culture
The Marinids were eager patrons of Islamic scholarship and intellectual culture. It was in this period that the Qarawiyyin, the main center of learning in Fes, reached its apogee in terms of prestige, patronage, and intellectual scope. Additionally, the Marinids were prolific builders of madrasas, a type of institution which originated in northeastern Iran by the early 11th century and was progressively adopted further west.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Marinid dynasty (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Marinid Sultanate: Key Facts
| Official language | Arabic |
|---|---|
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Founded | 1215 |
| Dissolved | 1465 |
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q582861 (CC0).
Marinid Sultanate Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Marinid Sultanate appears, with the other states of the time.
Marinid Sultanate Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 737,941 km² in 1357 CE.
Marinid Sultanate: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Marinid Sultanate exist?
The Marinid Sultanate is dated to 1250 CE – 1467 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Marinid Sultanate?
The capital of the Marinid Sultanate was Fez.
How large was the Marinid Sultanate at its peak?
At its peak in 1357 AD the Marinid Sultanate covered about 737,941 km².
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