Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

6 results found

Yakub I

(Encyclopedia)Yakub I yäkoob´ [key], 1160?–1199, ruler of Morocco (1184–99) and Moorish Spain. He was known as Yakub al-Mansur [the victorious] after his victory over Alfonso VIII of Castile at Alarcos (119...

Almohads

(Encyclopedia)Almohads l´mhdz [key], Berber Muslim dynasty that ruled Morocco and Spain in the 12th and 13th cent. It had its origins in the puritanical sect founded by Ibn Tumart, who stirred up (c.1120) th...

Rabat

(Encyclopedia)Rabat räbät´ [key], city (1994 pop. 787,745), capital of Morocco, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Bou Regreg estuary, opposite Salé. Silting problems have diminished the city's role as a...

Tomar

(Encyclopedia)Tomar toomär´ [key], town (1991 pop. 14,003), Santarém dist., central Portugal, in Ribatejo. It has paper and textile mills and other industries but is noted chiefly as the center of the Knights ...

Kindi, al-

(Encyclopedia)Kindi, al- (Abu Yusuf Yakub ibn Ishak al-Kindi)ä´boo yoosoof´ yäkoob´ b´n shäk´ l-kn´d [key], 9th cent. Arab philosopher, b. Basra (now in Iraq). He studied at Basra and a...

Afghanistan

(Encyclopedia)Afghanistan fgn´stn, fgänstän´ [key], officially Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, republic (2015 est. pop. 33,736,000), 249,999 sq mi (647,497 sq km), S central Asia. Afghanistan i...