Tashfin ibn Ali

Tashfin ibn Ali was the 6th Almoravid Emir, he reigned in 1143–1145.

Biography

Tashfin ibn Ali was appointed Governor of Granada and Almería in 1129, as well as of Córdoba in 1131, during the reign of his father Ali ibn Yusuf.
He was the supreme governor of Al Andalus from 1126 to 1137 and would in these years, lead the Almoravids to some notable victories but he also suffered some losses therein. From 1138, the year after his departure to Morocco, the impetus was on the side of the Christians and the Muslims suffered major losses in raids and the capture of important fortresses. This was in part due to the renewed offensive of the Almohads in Morocco.
He succeeded his father in 1143. In 1145, he went to fight the Almohads, under the leadership of Abd al-Mu'min, in the Oran area. He was besieged for several days by the Almohad forces and finally opted for escaping by sea. He subsequently called on a fleet from Almeria, burned his military encampment and while trying to join the port by night on horseback, he fell off a cliff in the Atlas Mountains and died in March 1145. He was succeeded first by his son Ibrahim ibn Tashfin, who was still an infant, and soon after by his brother Ishaq ibn Ali.