The Banu Sumadih () were an 11th-century Arab[From the Arab conquest to the Reconquest: the splendour and fragility of Al-Andalus. Pierre Guichard. Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Cultura, 2006. 25-07-2016.] dynasty that ruled the Moors Taifa of Almería (present day Almería province, Spain) in Al-Andalus. The family also produced several renowned poets, including Umm Al-Kiram.
Dynasty
The Banu Sumadih family were a branch of the
Banu Tujib of the
Upper March. A former military leader under
Almanzor, Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Sumadih, was ruling as governor of
Huesca during the reign of his distant cousin, al-Mundir I (ruled 1018–1021) of the Taifa of Zaragoza, but ran afoul of his emir and al-Mundir attacked him and forced him into exile in the Taifa of Valencia. His son Ma'n ibn Muhammad was appointed governor of Almería by the Valencia emir, 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn Amir, in 1038, but in 1041 elevated Almería into an independent taifa. His dynasty ruled for three generations, the last Banu Sumadih
emir fled the Almoravids in 1091, eventually making his way to the
Hammadid king Al-Mansur ibn Nasir, who gave him command of
Dellys in
Algeria.
Rulers
The Banu Sumadih dynasty rulers were:
-
Ma'n ibn Muhammad ibn Sumadih (1041–1051), previously governor under Taifa of Valencia
-
Al-Mu'tasim ibn Sumadih (1051–1091), a noted Arabic language poet. He succeeded when underage, under the regency of his uncle Abu 'Utba.
-
Mu'izz ud-Dawla ibn Sumadih (1091), fled to the Hammadid dynasty; granted command of north African Dellys.
