The Zirids were a Berber dynasty, originating in Petite Kabylie among the Kutama tribe, that ruled Ifriqiya (roughly, modern Tunisia), initially on behalf of the Fatimids, for about two centuries, until weakened by the Banu Hilal and finally destroyed by the Almohads. Their capital was Kairouan. An offshoot branch of the family ruled Granada until 1492.
The Zirids (Arabic: زÙرÙÙÙâ) were a Berber dynasty, originating in Petite Kabylie among the Kutama tribe, that ruled Ifriqiya (roughly, modern Tunisia), initially on behalf of the Fatimids, for about two centuries, until weakened by the Banu Hilal and finally destroyed by the Almohads.
In the 10th century this tribe served as vassals of the Fatimids, defeating the Kharijite rebellion of Abu Yazid (943-947, under Ziri ibn Manad (935-971).
Between 1146 and 1148 the Normans of Sicily conquered all the coastal towns, and in 1152 the last Zirids in Algeria were superseded by the Almohads.
The Zirids were originally appointed as governors of the North African provinces within the Fatimid Empire.
The dynasty was founded by a revolt of the Banu Hammad (1015) under the leadership of the Zirid governor of eastern Algeria.
For Tunisia, one of the principal consequences of the tribal invasion was the spread of the Arabic language to large parts of the countryside, where, unlike in the towns, Berber had formerly predominated.
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