Battle of Sétif

The Battle of Sétif (معركة سطيف) took place on April 27, 1153, AD, in the region of Sétif. it was a battle between a coalition of Banu Riyah tribes and the Almohad Caliphate led by the caliph Abd al-Mu'min. The result of the battle was a victory for the Almohads.

Battle
After resolving the issues related to Mehdiyya and before continuing his journey, Abd al-Mumin summoned the emirs of the Banu Riyâh’ established in Ifrîkiyya. He addressed them as follows: "As Muslims, it is our duty to defend Islam. Currently, the polytheists in Spain are powerful, controlling many provinces that were once under Muslim rule. No one can confront them as effectively as you, whose mighty ancestors conquered this territory at the beginning of Islam. You are also best positioned to repel the invaders. Therefore, we ask for the assistance of 10,000 courageous cavalrymen to fight in the name of God." They pledged their support and took an oath, invoking the name of God and the Holy Book. Then, they marched together to the pass of the Zaghouan mountain.

However, Yoûsef ben Mâlik, one of the emirs and tribal leaders of the Banu Hilal, secretly approached Abd al-Mou’min at night to inform him of the disagreement among the Banu Riyāh regarding the journey to Spain. They suspected him of wanting to make them leave their country and doubted the sincerity of his request. According to him, the main instigator of this discourse was Mahrez Ibn Ziyad.

Yoûsef added that not all of them would uphold the sworn oath. "Well," replied Abd el-Mou’min, "God will take care of punishing the perjury." That night, the leaders dispersed into the countryside and rejoined their tribes. Yoûsef ben Mâlik and all the Hilalians from his tribe remained by Abd al-Mumin's side, earning him the nickname "Yoûsef the Truthful."

When the Frankish king Roger of Sicily learned of the intention of some Banu Riyāh to oppose Abd al-Mumin, he sent envoys to their leaders to encourage them in their plans and offer support in exchange for hostages, with 5,000 Frankish cavalrymen. However, the Arab leaders categorically refused, proudly asserting that they could handle it on their own and preferred to receive assistance only from their Muslim brothers. The Banu Riyāh sought help from other Arab Hilalians, including the Zughba faction, but they also refused.

‘Abd el-Mou’min made no mention of this affair and quickly continued his march toward Al-Maghrib al-Adna, until he reached the vicinity of Constantine. He set up his camp in a place called Wàdi’n-Nisâ, rich in pastures during the spring. He stayed there for twenty days, intercepting roads and preventing any soldier from leaving the camp. Thus, in the country, no one was aware of Abd el-Mou'min's presence and his imposing army. On the contrary, rumors suggested that alarming news from Spain was forcing him to leave in haste. Reassured, the Banu Riyāh who had abandoned him returned from the plains where they had sought refuge and reoccupied their usual places.

Upon learning of this, ‘Abd el-Mou’min sent his two sons, Aboû Mohammed and Aboû ‘Abd Allah, with thirty thousand warriors, including the Hilalians of Yoûsef ben Mâlik and selected Almohad warriors. These two leaders accelerated their progress through uninhabited regions and surprised the Banu Riyāh from behind, cutting off any possibility of retreat. They were established in the region of Kairouan, south of a mountain called Djebel el-K’arn. Their tents numbered 80,000, and among the most well-known leaders of the Banu Riyāh were Aboû Mah’foûz’, Mas’oûd ben Zemmâm el-Ballât’, Djebbâra ben Kâmil, and especially Marhez ben Ziyâd.

The sudden intrusion of the Almohads sowed confusion among them, and disunity set in. Mas’oûd and Djebbâra ben Kâmil fled with their tribes, while Mahrez ben Ziyâd stood his ground and wanted to fight. However, his advice was ignored, and only a few Arabs remained with him to face the Almohads. The battle took place between April 19 and 29, 1160. Determined to conquer or die, the few faithful fighters to Mahrez ben Ziyad cut the tendons of their horses, and for three days, they stood firm in the midst of a field of carnage. Although the struggle was fierce, Mahrez ben Ziyâd was killed, his head displayed on a pike. This led to the dispersion of his tribe, abandoning their tents, women, children, and belongings. Everything was brought to ‘Abd el-Mou’min, still in his camp.

Aftermath
The Almohad army brought the booty to the caliph Abd al-Mu'min who distributed it among his companions. The caliph decided to keep the women and children in good custody and assigned his eunuchs to take care of their needs. Later on, with the caliph arrival to Marrakesh, he ordered to resettle the women and children of the Arabs in large settlements in Marrakesh and offered them huge pensions. Soon after, the Arab Hilalians were informed of the generosity of the caliph Abd al-Mumin, and saw the opportunity to reunite with their families, thereby agreeing to settle down in Marrakesh under the rule of the Almohad caliph. Furthermore, Abd al-Mumin offered the Banu Hilal huge sums and managed to secure their help in designating his son Mohammed as his heir apparent in 1156. Those Hilalians were also incorporated into the Almohad army and participated in the campaign to bring Ifriqiya under the Almohad control in 1160.