TheLamtuna (Berber languages:Ilemteyen) are a nomadicBerber tribe belonging to the Iẓnagen /Sanhaja (Zenaga) confederation, who traditionally inhabited areas fromSous toAdrar Plateau. During theAlmoravid period, many Lamtunas emigrated northwards. Currently, the Lemtuna Tribe is based in the South of Mauritania (Monguel and Agueilat). The chief of this Tribe is Mr. Limam Ould Teguedi (former Minister of Justice, former Minister of Culture and former Attorney General ofMauritania). Among notable families are the family of Ehl Aly Ibn Ibrahim, the family of Ehel Sidelemine, Ehl Abdawa, Ehl Mohamed El-Emine and Ehl Mohammed Ghali.SahrawiTajakant as well asMessouma tribes are of the most recognisable offshoots of the Lamtunas. They inhabit areas inAlgeria,Morocco,Mauritania andWestern Sahara. TheBanu Ghaniya, the successors of this dynasty in Tripoli and theNafusa Mountains and the governors of the SpanishBalearic Islands until about the middle of the 13th century, originated from this tribe as well.[citation needed]
One of the members of theSanhaja confederation, the Lamtuna inhabited the areas of Adrar and Tagant. During the 11th century, the Lamtuna,Godala, and Masufa tribes were united under the Lamtuna leader, Abu Abdallah Muhammad ibn Tifat (Tarsina). After Tarsina's death his successorYahya ibn Ibrahim, of the Godala tribe, married a member of the Urtantac family that governed the Lamtuna, expanding both his personal influence and that of the family.[1] The Lamtuna sat at the top of the ruling class as well as holding positions in important administrative and military posts in theAlmoravid dynasty. AfterAbdallah ibn Yasin's death in 1059 Almoravid leadership was assumed by the chief of the Lamtuna,Abu Bakr ibn Umar, who fought against rebels in Mauritania in 1060. His cousin,Yusuf ibn Tashfin, continued to lead the Almoravids in southernMorocco and it was under his leadership that most of theMaghreb andAl-Andalus was conquered.[2]
While the Lamtuna claim descent from theHimyarite Kingdom,[3] with one of the chiefs sometimes referred to as Saharawi (one who comes from the Sahara). This name is seldom used in Arabic sources and doesn't appear to refer to a specific group. Genealogical data suggests that DNA may have been introduced by invaders from the Arabian Peninsula instead.[4]
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