The Aghlabid Emirs (800 to 909)
Ibrahim Ibn Al Aghlab, a man of great military and moral esteem in
Ifriqiya, was appointed agent to the Abassid caliph, Haroun Al Rachid.
He subdued a revolt led by the Shiite, Idriss I, who had previously
ceased power over Morocco. Later on, Ibrahim Ibn Al Aghlab was appointed
governor of Central Maghreb (797) and in 800 the caliph offered him
tribute and granted him a hereditary emirate : the Aghlabid Emirate.
From now on, Ibrahim Ibn Al Aghlab ruled over a territory that spread
from modern Tunisia, over Eastern Algeria to Tripolitania.
Ibrahim and his immediate successor, Ziyadat Allah I (817 - 838), were
able to create a military aristocracy (the jund) and bring a climate of
stability to Ifriqiya. Kairouan
grew to become a genuine metropolis, worthy of the other great cities of
that time. It became the centre of religious life and the site of one of
Islam's most ancient and holiest mosques. Many renowned scholars came to
Kairouan to teach the fiqh, the hadith and the Arab language. The
Aghlabids were very concerned about the education of their people, the
expansion of the Arab language and the spreading of Islam in a country
where Berbers made up the largest majority of the population. With Abu
Ibrahim (856 - 863), Mohamed II (864 - 875) and Ibrahim II (875 - 902),
the Aghlabid dynasty reached the height of its power (foundation of
Raqqada, the new capital). In 909, the Aghlabid dynasty was driven away
by Shiite forces, under the command of the Kotama Berbers.
Outside the borders of Ifriqia, one of the principal accomplishments of
the Aghlabid century was the conquest of Sicily in 827. From Sicily,
they imported the Spanish principle of metal coin money. Inside Ifriqia,
the Aghlabids created real prosperity, worthy of the best of ancient
times.