Abū Yaʿqūb Yūsuf al-Mustanṣir (also known as Yusuf II, c. 1203 – 1224) (Arabic: يوسف بن الناصرYūsuf bin an-Nāṣir) was Caliph of the Almohads from 1213 until his death. Son of the previous caliph, Muhammad al-Nasir,[1] the ten-year-old Yusuf was unexpectedly appointed heir by his father on his deathbed.[2] He was confirmed as Almohad Caliph in election by the Almohad sheikhs after his father's death, and took up the caliphal title "al-Mustansir bi-Llah" ("he who seeks the aid of God"). Yusuf's mother was a Christian slave Qamar.[3]
Young and pleasure-loving, Yusuf II left the governing of the Almohad empire to a carefully balanced oligarchy composed of older family members, like his father's brothers in al-Andalus and his grand-cousin Abu Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Abi Hafs in Ifriqiya, Marrakesh palace bureaucrats such as the vizier Abu Sa‘id Uthman ibn Jam‘i and the leading sheikhs of the Almohad Masmuda tribes. But without central leadership, and with the Almohad army having suffered grievous losses at the Battle of Navas de Tolosa in 1212, a series of rebellions broke out in the Maghreb which the Almohad oligarchs were hard-pressed to contain, contributing to the eventual breakaway of Ifriqiya under the Hafsid dynasty.
Yusuf II died suddenly in early 1224 – accidentally gored while playing with his pet cows.[2] Lacking heirs, the palace bureaucrats, led by Ibn Jam‘i, quickly engineered the election of his elderly grand-uncle Abd al-Wahid I as the new caliph in Marrakesh. But the hastiness and probable unconstitutionality of the Marrakesh proceedings upset his uncles, the brothers of al-Nasir, in al-Andalus. They promptly disputed the succession, and elected their own Caliph Abdallah al-Adil.[2]
Viziers
Yusuf had three viziers in the first year of his reign:
Abu Sa‘id Uthman ibn Jam‘i (1214) (also vizier to Muhammad an-Nasir)
Abu Yahya al-Hizraji (1214) (أبو يحيى الهزرجي Abū Yaḥyà al-Hizrajī)
Abu ‘Ali ibn Ashrafi (1214) (أبو علي بن أشرفي Abū ‘Alī b. Ashrafī)
Abu Sa‘id Uthman ibn Jam‘i (again) (1214–1223)
Abu Sa‘id Uthman ibn Jam‘i would also serve as vizier to Abdul-Wahid I.
References
^Joseph F. O'Callaghan, A History of Medieval Spain
^ abcHugh Kennedy (1996) Muslim Spain and Portugal: A Political History of al-Andalus. London: Addison-Wesley-Longman
yusuf, almohad, caliph, yusuf, redirects, here, also, refer, yusuf, sultan, granada, abū, yaʿqūb, yūsuf, mustanṣir, also, known, yusuf, 1203, 1224, arabic, يوسف, بن, الناصر, yūsuf, nāṣir, caliph, almohads, from, 1213, until, death, previous, caliph, muhammad, . Yusuf II redirects here It may also refer to Yusuf II Sultan of Granada Abu Yaʿqub Yusuf al Mustanṣir also known as Yusuf II c 1203 1224 Arabic يوسف بن الناصر Yusuf bin an Naṣir was Caliph of the Almohads from 1213 until his death Son of the previous caliph Muhammad al Nasir 1 the ten year old Yusuf was unexpectedly appointed heir by his father on his deathbed 2 He was confirmed as Almohad Caliph in election by the Almohad sheikhs after his father s death and took up the caliphal title al Mustansir bi Llah he who seeks the aid of God Yusuf s mother was a Christian slave Qamar 3 Yusuf IIAlmohad CaliphRuler of the Almohad CaliphateReign1213 1224PredecessorMuhammad al NasirSuccessorAbd al Wahid IBornc 1203Died1224 aged c 20 21 FatherMuhammad al NasirMotherQamarReligionIslam Contents 1 Life 2 Viziers 3 References 4 SourcesLife EditYoung and pleasure loving Yusuf II left the governing of the Almohad empire to a carefully balanced oligarchy composed of older family members like his father s brothers in al Andalus and his grand cousin Abu Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Abi Hafs in Ifriqiya Marrakesh palace bureaucrats such as the vizier Abu Sa id Uthman ibn Jam i and the leading sheikhs of the Almohad Masmuda tribes But without central leadership and with the Almohad army having suffered grievous losses at the Battle of Navas de Tolosa in 1212 a series of rebellions broke out in the Maghreb which the Almohad oligarchs were hard pressed to contain contributing to the eventual breakaway of Ifriqiya under the Hafsid dynasty Yusuf II died suddenly in early 1224 accidentally gored while playing with his pet cows 2 Lacking heirs the palace bureaucrats led by Ibn Jam i quickly engineered the election of his elderly grand uncle Abd al Wahid I as the new caliph in Marrakesh But the hastiness and probable unconstitutionality of the Marrakesh proceedings upset his uncles the brothers of al Nasir in al Andalus They promptly disputed the succession and elected their own Caliph Abdallah al Adil 2 Viziers EditYusuf had three viziers in the first year of his reign Abu Sa id Uthman ibn Jam i 1214 also vizier to Muhammad an Nasir Abu Yahya al Hizraji 1214 أبو يحيى الهزرجي Abu Yaḥya al Hizraji Abu Ali ibn Ashrafi 1214 أبو علي بن أشرفي Abu Ali b Ashrafi Abu Sa id Uthman ibn Jam i again 1214 1223 Abu Sa id Uthman ibn Jam i would also serve as vizier to Abdul Wahid I References Edit Joseph F O Callaghan A History of Medieval Spain a b c Hugh Kennedy 1996 Muslim Spain and Portugal A Political History of al Andalus London Addison Wesley Longman Yusuf II al Mustansir BillahSources EditThis article began as a translation of the corresponding article in the French Wikipedia accessed September 30 2005 Julien Charles Andre 1931 Histoire de l Afrique du Nord des origines a 1830 Preceded byMuhammad al Nasir Almohad Dynasty1213 1224 Succeeded byAbd al Wahid I Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Yusuf II Almohad caliph amp oldid 1093255968, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
