Around this time, a religious reform movement took shape among Saharan Sanhaja groups (notably Lamtuna and allies). It promoted stricter Sunni Islam (Maliki law) and quickly became linked to political and military organization. This combination created a power base positioned to influence trans-Saharan caravan routes.
Azougui (in today’s Mauritania) emerged as an early Almoravid center and a key stopping point on routes linking Morocco to the western Sudan. Control of such desert hubs mattered because caravans depended on safe water and pasture stops. Holding Azougui helped the Almoravids project authority along the Saharan corridor.
In 1055, Almoravid forces led by the movement’s leadership took Sijilmasa, an oasis city that served as a major northern terminus for trans-Saharan trade. Controlling Sijilmasa strengthened the ability to tax, protect, and regulate caravans moving gold, salt, and other goods. It also provided a place to mint coinage and support state administration.
In 1056, Yahya ibn Umar, an early Almoravid military leader, was killed in fighting in the Sahara region near Azougui. His death shows that early control of desert routes was contested and depended on tribal alliances and military strength. Leadership then shifted as the movement continued expanding north toward Morocco and south toward trade corridors.
In 1058, the Almoravids captured Aghmat in southern Morocco, strengthening their hold on the approaches between the Sahara and the Moroccan plains. This mattered for trade because Aghmat connected caravan traffic to northern cities and coastal markets. The move also set the stage for founding a new political capital tied to route control.
Abdallah ibn Yasin, the movement’s key religious leader, died in 1059 while campaigning against opponents on Morocco’s Atlantic coast. His death did not end Almoravid expansion; instead, political-military leadership continued under other commanders. The movement’s religious legitimacy remained central to enforcing rules and collecting resources along trade routes.
In 1062, the Almoravids founded Marrakesh and developed it into a political and military center. A purpose-built capital helped coordinate armies, administration, and taxation across Morocco and the Saharan fringes. From this base, the Almoravids could better manage key links between Mediterranean markets and trans-Saharan caravans.
By 1069–1070, the Almoravids conquered Fez, a major northern city and commercial hub. Incorporating Fez extended Almoravid authority over urban markets and craft production that interacted with caravan trade. It also helped link inland Saharan routes with broader Mediterranean and Atlantic connections.
On 1086-10-23, Almoravid forces under Yusuf ibn Tashfin defeated Castilian-led forces at the Battle of Sagrajas (al-Zallaqah) in Iberia. This victory raised Almoravid prestige and helped justify deeper intervention across the Strait of Gibraltar. Iberian revenues and politics then became increasingly connected to North African governance and trade finance.
By about 1090, the Almoravids had assumed control over much of al-Andalus (Islamic Spain), replacing several local taifa rulers. This consolidation mattered for trade because it tightened administrative links between Iberian ports and North African centers like Marrakesh and Fez. It also helped sustain a large state that relied on Saharan gold and taxes to fund armies and government.
Ali ibn Yusuf ruled from 1106 to 1143, a period often seen as both the high point of Almoravid power and the start of long-term pressures. Maintaining control across Morocco and Iberia required steady revenue, including income linked to trans-Saharan exchange and gold coinage. Over time, military setbacks and internal tensions weakened the state’s ability to hold territory and routes.
In the early 1100s, Ibn Tumart launched the Almohad movement, another reform project that challenged Almoravid religious and political authority. In May 1130, Almoravid forces defeated an Almohad attack near Marrakesh at the Battle of al-Buhayra, but the conflict continued. This new rivalry destabilized Almoravid rule in Morocco, threatening the security framework behind caravan routes.
In 1147, Almohad forces under Abd al-Mu’min captured Marrakesh after a long siege, ending Almoravid rule in their Moroccan heartland. The fall of the capital marked a major shift in who controlled political power across North Africa. Control over trans-Saharan routes and their taxation did not disappear, but it moved into new hands under Almohad rule.
Almoravid Expansion and North African Control of Saharan Routes (c. 1040–1147)