AGHLABID

Ibrahim al-Aghlab was appointed as the hereditary Emir of Ifriqya by Harun al-Rashid, the fifth caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate. While Islam was widely practiced in North Africa, the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled over the Muslim world from 750 to 1250 CE, appointed him to help establish control over Nothern Africa [i]. Later, under Ibrahim II, Aghlabid rule extended [ii] to Sicily, Southern Italy, Malta, Sardinia, and Corsica. Aghlabid rule ended in 909 when they were overtaken by the Fatimids, the first major Ismaili Shi’ite caliphate. The wealth of success of Ifriqya [iii]under the Aghlabids made the region particularly attractive to the Fatimids.

The Aghlabids battled for control over the Mediterranean [iv] with the Byzantines [v] and Umayyad Caliphate [vi]. Known for their impressive fleet, the Aghlabids focused their efforts on Sicily and other parts of southern Italy to challenge the strength of the Byzantines in the region. Despite tensions with the Umayyad Caliphate of al-Andalus [vii] (the modern-day Iberian Peninsula), the Umayyad sent a fleet to support the Aghalbids in their conquest of Sicily. Palermo, the capital, was conquered in 830. The Aghlabids remained allies to the Abbasid Caliphate throughout their rule. Despite this, many scholars consider the Aghlabids to be the first independent rulers of Ifriqya.

The Aghlabid Dynasty is a relatively understudied civilization compared to other early SWANA civilizations. Scholars have tended to overlook the widespread role that Mediterranean countries, such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, played in early Islamic history. Historically, most scholarship on early Islamic history has been focused on Iraq and Egypt. However, under the Aghlabids, Kairouan became a center of education and economic power and contributed greatly to the Islamic civilization of the time. Critically, the Aghlabids played an important role in connecting Medieval Europe, Africa, and the Middle East as trade with sub-Saharan civilizations and Egypt flourished during the time.

The Aghlabid Dynasty was a civilization ruled by Emirs, an Arabic word that translates in English to male monarchs. Other high positions within the government were typically reserved for family members of Emirs. Overall, because the Abbasid Empire put the Aghlabid civilization into power, the structure of the Aghlabid government closely mirrored that of the Abbasids’ rule. The Aghlabids imposed harsh taxes and were often criticized by Maliki jurists [x] for doing so. However, despite these taxes, they were equally known for commissioning public works to distribute resources such as water, which contributed to the overall prosperity and well-being of the region [xi].

The Aghlabid Dynasty is a relatively understudied civilization compared to other early SWANA civilizations. Scholars have tended to overlook the widespread role that Mediterranean countries, such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, played in early Islamic history. Historically, most scholarship on early Islamic history has been focused on Iraq and Egypt. However, under the Aghlabids, Kairouan became a center of education and economic power and contributed greatly to the Islamic civilization of the time. Critically, the Aghlabids played an important role in connecting Medieval Europe, Africa, and the Middle East as trade with sub-Saharan civilizations and Egypt flourished during the time.

Although overshadowed by their successors the Fatimids, the Aghlabids played a key role [xii] in bringing prosperity and peace to Ifriqya. Under the Aghlabids, Karoian grew in importance and prominence throughout the Muslim world. Scholars have described [xiii] “Midevil Tunisia as the ‘hub of the Mediterranean’ with Kairouan as its most important trunk point.” Under Aghlabid rule, Kairouan flourished as a center for Islamic thought. Beyond Kairouan, the Aghlabids invested heavily in developing infrastructure throughout the country’s rural areas. The accomplishments of the Aghlabids in Ifriqya made the region appealing to the Fatimids. The Fatimids built several of their architectural feats on Aghablid foundations.

George Marcais [xiv], a historian with a focus on architecture in North Africa, referred to the Aghlabid rule as a “Golden Age” for the region. Investments [xv] in infrastructure to bring water to arid regions allowed for more farming. This allowed the Aghablids to grow and export olive groves, oils, and cereals. The location of Ifriqya made it a link [xvi] between North Africa, Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Iraq. This enabled commercial trade to flourish, with exports running from luxury goods to agriculture. Tunisia’s official tourism website [xvii] explains that “under the Aghlabids, Tunisia regained the economics, political and cultural influence it had in Antiquity.”