Starting Provinces and Units are based on information by DD
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Medieval: Total War Description
Early Era:
Coming from a nomadic desert people, the Berber tribesmen of the Almoravid and Almohad dynasties conquered North Africa and then, at the request of the Iberian Muslim princes, came to Spain to protect Islam. In the process, they took Spain for themselves. When the Almoravids abandoned their simple lifestyle in favour of the comfort and luxury of sophisticated city life, the Almohads turned their backs on such lax and easy living, and in doing so sealed the fate of the Almoravids. They were overthrown.
The Almohad Caliphate now stretches along the North Africa and into Spain. The Khalifah's rule to date has been hard, uncompromising and very successful. The Almohads get little love from the Christians and Jews that they rule, as earlier liberal attitudes towards both groups have been abandoned, but this lack of loyalty has had little impact. The Almohads have some remarkable strength as rulers: their military prowess is superb, their religiously inspired troops have few equals, and they feel little fear of the resurgent Christian Spanish in Castile. They hold down an unenthusiastic population and still manage to mount major military expeditions. But this unpopularity could also be a weakness - constant vigilance in the face of disaffected people can be tiring for any regime.
The Caliphate's rulers are, however, better placed to carry their conquests further into Christian Europe than any other Islamic power. They stand ready to wear down Spain, if not crush it outright. A weakened France could then be their next target, swinging south into Italy or north towards the rich pickings of England's continental holdings. Holding off Spanish aggression, should it come, would also give them the chance to attack in the Mediterranean, towards Egypt and then the Holy Land.
High Era:
The Almohad Caliphate includes North African coastal lands and a large part of the Spanish peninsula. Coming from a desert people, the Berber tribesmen of the Almohad dynasty conquered North Africa and then took Spain from its Islamic princes while supposedly helping them. The Almohads never enjoyed lax morality and easy living, and so have ruled their lands with a rod of iron. The Khalifah's rule has kept his subject Christians and Jews under control, although this is now just as much a reflection of the intolerant attitudes shown by the Kings of Spain towards their Islamic and Jewish subjects.
Catholic strength in Spain is a problem that needs addressing by the Almohads. Their domain has always been the target for the Spanish who are intolerant of Islam, and they have been slowly driven south. As a consequence, Almohad policy must be concentration of effort against further Spanish attacks. Unless these Spanish are checked there can be no revival in Almohad fortunes, as the Iberian peninsular provinces are the richest in their empire. The Almohads still have considerable strength: their government is efficient; their military skills are formidable; and their troops have few equals in open battle when handled well, being as fanatical and brave as any Christian "crusader".
If the Almohads rise to meet the immediate challenges they face, then they can be a power in the Mediterranean world and beyond. The Spanish are not unbeatable (their own internal problems are great), and beyond them the French and English are still at each other's throats. Both the Christian provinces of Spain and the southern lands of France present rich pickings, and simply reaching the Pyrenees would give the Khalifah's armies a natural defensive line to hold. Across the sea, the southern Italian provinces could also be rich targets, although a direct threat to Rome could unite Catholic forces. Along the north African coast, Egyptian lands may also be vulnerable as the rulers of Egypt are likely to be distracted by Crusaders in the Holy Lands and the possibility of a resurgent Byzantine Empire.
