Barghawāṭah, Amazigh (Berber) tribalconfederation that created a religio-political state inMorocco (8th–12th century). The Barghawāṭah, members of the Maṣmūdah family inhabiting the plain between theMiddle Atlas (Moyen Atlas) mountain range and the Atlantic, had joined the Miknāsah and Ghumārah Amazigh in theKhārijite revolt against theUmayyad caliph in 740–742, seizingTangier and defeating Umayyad armies fromSpain in the Battle of the Nobles (740). Shortly afterward the rebellion was suppressed, but a new leader,Ṣāliḥ ibn Ṭarīf, emerged in 748–749 among the Barghawāṭah and presented himself as a prophet, teaching a mixture of Islamic, pagan, and astrological beliefs. His successorspropagated this doctrine throughout the confederation. In the reign ofAbū Ghufayl (885–913) the confederation became firmly established in Barghawāṭah territory and aided in the creation of a highly defensive state that also proved to be commercially prosperous.

By the mid-10th century the Barghawāṭah were influential enough to maintain diplomatic relations with the Umayyads of Córdoba, despite the nonconforming beliefs of the Amazigh and the rigid Sunnism of the Muslim court. Relations between the two powers were strained by the century’s end, however, and the Barghawāṭah were beset by two invasions from Spain (977–978; 998–999) and an attack by an agent of theFāṭimid dynasty from the east (982–983). The Barghawāṭah successfully met these incursions, but in the 11th century they were conquered by their Amazigh neighbours, the Banū Īfran, allies of the Umayyads. TheAlmoravid invasion followed in 1059, and, though the Barghawāṭah killed the Almoravid spiritual leaderʿAbd Allāh ibn Yāsīn in battle, they themselves were soundly defeated. The remaining Barghawāṭah did not survive theAlmohad assault and disappeared after their defeat in 1148–49.