Zenata

The Zanata or Zanata were in addition to the Masmuda and Ṣanhāǧa one of the major tribal groups of the Berbers in the Maghreb.

History

In pre-Islamic times they migrated from southern Tunisia in western Morocco, and were divided amongst others in the trunks of Magrawa, Miknasa and Banu Ifran. Some of these tribes submitted to the 7th century early Muslims, while other tribes such as the al - Kahina Dscharawa under long time successfully resisted.

In the 8th century were most Zanata - Berber followers of the Kharijites and participated in the uprisings against the Arab rule in part (see: Rise of the Maysara ). Under Abu Yazid came in the 10th century to the last Kharijite revolt, but was defeated by the Fatimids.

During the 10th century, the tribes of the Zanata were mostly allied with the Caliphate of Córdoba, which fought with the Fatimids for supremacy in Morocco. They were friendly but of the ones with the Fatimids, pushed Ṣanhāǧa Berbers from Morocco.

It was only in the 13th century won the Abdalwadiden in western Algeria and Morocco in the Marinids again Zanata strains political power. The last time they practiced under the Wattasids in the 15th century from the rule in Morocco. In this period also saw the Arabization of the stems.

The special technique of riding Berber meant that the tribal name of the Zanata was borrowed into Castilian ( and as a special vocabulary to Spanish Medieval Latin ), where the word jinete today the rider or jockey called.