The Almoravids, Builders of Empire

Amidst the gilded splendor of 11th-century Seville, the Abbadid Kingdom teeters on the edge of ruin. Poetry and intrigue entwine as Al-Mutamid, the philosopher warrior-king, navigates a court of ambition, love, and betrayal. With rival empires pressing close and whispers of rebellion within, the city of amber and gold becomes a stage for the twilight of a dynasty—a tale of fleeting glory, forbidden desire, and the mournful song of a kingdom’s end. Music: Max Richter, James Heather, Jóhannsson, Sufjan Stevens, and Farya Faraji (00:00) Andalusian Lament Song (00:39) Lament for the Fall of Seville (01:35) Welcome Back (03:09) The Taifa Kingdoms (11:23) From the Ashes of Empire, Rises A Dynasty  (15:58) A King of Blood and Beauty (20:24) The Almoravid Alliance (23:18) The Fall of Paradise (26:32) To Dust We Shall Return

Welcome back to Winds of the West, the Moroccan history Podcast part of the Cherifian Winds initiative. Let's dive straight into the Rise and Fall of the Almoravid dynasty, the builders of the first Moroccan Empire. (00:11) Introduction (01:50) A Sandstorm is Brewing (03:44) Abdallah ibn Yassin (05:43) Rise of a Dynasty (09:03) The Call of Andalusia (11:00) The Battle of Sagrajas (14:44) The Expansion Continues (15:57) The Decline (18:43) Almoravid and Beyond

In this episode, we will discover a new entity that grew in synchronicity with early-modern Morocco: Andalusia. Understanding the social and cultural makeup of Andalusia in its first 3 centuries of existence, when it was ruled by the caliphal Umayyad dynasty, is essential before we embark on the rise of the Moroccan Empires. So let’s delve in this paradise lost.

In the fifth episode of Winds of the West, we will talk about Morocco’s first dynasty and the ones traditionally considered as the “founders of Morocco”: the Idrisids, who held the Moroccan throne from AD789 to AD974. Who were they? Where did they come from? Why are they considered the founders of Morocco when we know other Moroccan states existed at the time?

Who were the Amazigh Moroccan States born out of the Great Berber Revolt of AD 739? In this episode, we are exploring the origins of modern Morocco and the root of its independence in the eighth century AD.

In the third episode of Winds of the West, the Moroccan History Podcast, we meet one of the most important Roman client Kings of Antiquity: Juba II, who is remembered not only as a great king but also as an incredibly gifted scholar. Of Numidian origin, Juba II was raised as a Roman in the Augustan household before he became client King of Mauretania and married Cleopatra Selene II, daughter of the famous Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony.

In the second episode of Winds of the West, we will explore the mysterious figure of King Atlas, the mythical ruler of Mauretania. Was he a Greek God? A King gifted in science and the arts? And was his existence a matter of fact or fiction?

Welcome to Winds of the West, a podcast about Moroccan history and culture. I’m your host, Sayd, and together we will plunge in the intricately beautiful landscape of Moroccan history and culture. Since its establishment in AD 788, the Kingdom of Morocco has been ruled by seven succeeding dynasties, and has played a major role in Mediterranean and even World politics. This podcast will aim to retrace the history of this ancient Kingdom beginning more than a thousand years before its inception, when the ancestor of Morocco, the Kingdom of Mauretania, was founded by the legendary Berber King Atlas in 600BC.