Status Updates From The Almohads: The Rise of a...

This is really fascinating, and gives a far more complex picture of who the Almohad were than one usually finds. The development of the ideology was far, far more politically canny and cynical than just "religious nutters take over, invade Spain, reign as Kings of No Fun for a couple of hundred years." This doesn't mean it was a good thing, however. Also, ibn Tumart was a misogynist. Surprise.

Reading about the character and rise of ibn Tumart and the Almohad movement, I'm struck by how much of a template this was for recent Islamist militant groups. When such groups mention al-Andalus in glowing words,this is what they mean: early Almohad era. Not the good stuff, like the Umayyads.

Relevant to the discussion I had here with Wesley Joyner...I thought I needed to know more about the Almohads, whom I've always thought of as the prototype to the fundamentalist hardline groups of today, and not much more. Seems I need to revise that estimation somewhat (especially after looking at some of their art), but it's also helpful to read how such movements have risen in the past.