Tamasna

Tamasna (Berber: Tamesna, ⵜⴰⵎⵙⵏⴰ, Arabic: تامسنا, romanized: Tāmasnā) is a historical region between Bou Regreg and Tensift in Morocco. It includes the modern regions of Chaouia, Doukkala, Abda, Rhamna, Sraghna and Chiadma. The indigenous population is that of Barghwata who were driven by the Almoravids, subsequently the Almohads installed Bedouin Arabs. According to the 16th century Andalusian author Leo Africanus the Bedouins held the region for fifty years before suffering displacement by the Lamtuna. Subsequently, the Marinid dynasty granted the Tamasna region to the Zenata and Hawwara confederations, who established dominant military and political control over the province by the early modern period. describing the geography and history of the region, he writes in the Description of Africa: Of Temesna one of the provinces of Fez: Westward it begins at the river Ommirabih, and stretches to the river Buragrag eastward; the south frontier thereof borders upon Atlas, and the north upon the Ocean sea. It is all over a plain country, containing in length from west to east almost fourscore miles, and in breadth from Atlas to the Ocean sea about threescore. This province has almost always been the principal of the seven before named (Temesna, Fez, Azghar, Elhabet, Errif, Garet, and Elchauz): for it contained to the number of forty great towns, besides three hundred castles, all which were inhabited by Barbarian Africans. In the year 323 of the Hegeira this province was by a certain heretic against the Mahumetan religion called Chemim the son of Mennal freed from paying of tribute. This bad fellow persuaded the people of Fez to yield no tribute nor honor unto their prince, and himself he professed to be a prophet: but a while after he dealt not only in matters of religion, but in commonwealth-affairs also. At length waging war against the...