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Dihya the Berber Queen (Al-Kaahina): Difference between revisions
Dihya the Berber Queen (Al-Kaahina) (view source)
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The legends preserve some details of Dihya's appearance. She had very long black hair, and had large dark eyes. She was extremely tall for a woman of the time. She was said to be charismatic, and authors attribute to her the gift of foresight - most likely a reminiscence of her great intelligence and wisdom. | The legends preserve some details of Dihya's appearance. She had very long black hair, and had large dark eyes. She was extremely tall for a woman of the time. She was said to be charismatic, and authors attribute to her the gift of foresight - most likely a reminiscence of her great intelligence and wisdom. | ||
When she was a young woman, a chieftain who demanded to possess her as his bride terrorized her tribe. Dihya went into hiding for some time. Finally she agreed to the marriage. On the wedding night, she slew her new husband by smashing his skull with a nail. Although possibly apocryphal, like much else in her biography, the story | When she was a young woman, a chieftain who demanded to possess her as his bride terrorized her tribe. Dihya went into hiding for some time. Finally she agreed to the marriage. On the wedding night, she slew her new husband by smashing his skull with a nail. Although possibly apocryphal, like much else in her biography, the story was included in her biographies to demonstrate her supposed will and ferocity. | ||
==The Arab Invasion== | ==The Arab Invasion== | ||
In 646 AD, after the Muslims finally finished their conquest of Egypt, they soon turned their sights to Roman North Africa. The Exarchate of Africa found itself on the frontline of the war with the expanding Arab state. The Byzantine Empire, itself suffering defeats on almost all fronts, and further weakened by a constant civil war, could give no assistance to such a distant province. The Exarchate had to completely rely upon local, limited resources. That they managed to hold off the Muslim advance for so long speaks to the enthusiastic resistance of the local population against the Arabs. | In 646 AD, after the Muslims finally finished their conquest of Egypt, they soon turned their sights to Roman North Africa. The Exarchate of Africa found itself on the frontline of the war with the expanding Arab state. The Byzantine Empire, itself suffering defeats on almost all fronts, and further weakened by a constant civil war, could give no assistance to such a distant province. The Exarchate had to completely rely upon local, limited resources. That they managed to hold off the Muslim advance for so long speaks to the enthusiastic resistance of the local population against the Arabs. | ||