Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur

Abū Yūsuf Yaʿqūb ibn Yūsuf ibn Abd al-Muʾmin al-Manṣūr (; d. 23 January 1199), commonly known as Yaqub al-Mansur or Moulay Yacoub , was the third Almohad caliph. Succeeding his father, al-Mansur reigned from 1184 to 1199. His reign was distinguished by the flourishing of trade, architecture, philosophy and the sciences, as well as by victorious military campaigns in which he was successful in repelling the tide of the Reconquista in the Iberian Peninsula.

Early life

His father was Abu Yaqub Yusuf whilst his mother was a Christian concubine called Sahir. According to Arabic specialist, Rom Landau, Yusuf's mother was a "Negro slave". He would later acquire the name Ya'qub the Victorious.

Military career

Al-Mansur's father was killed in Portugal on 29 July 1184; upon reaching Seville with his father's body on 10 August, he was immediately proclaimed the new caliph. one of Al-Mansur's famous works is the Bimaristan of Marrakesh, the first hospital in Morocco to be ever built, Al-Mansur embellished it with luxurious ornaments and sculptures, it had gardens, water canals attached to it and it was Funded personally by Almohad's government, it is said that Averroes worked there for some time.

Philosophy and religion

Al-Mansur protected the philosopher Averroes and kept him as a favorite at court. Like many of the Almohad caliphs, Al-Mansur was religiously learned. He favored the Zahirite or literalist school of Muslim jurisprudence per Almohad doctrine and possessed a relatively extensive education in the Muslim prophetic tradition; he even wrote his own book on the recorded statements and actions of the prophet Muhammad. Mansur's Zahirism was clear when he ordered his judges to exercise judgment only according to the Qur'an, said recorded statements, and absolute consensus. Mansur's father Abu Yaqub appointed Cordoban polymath Ibn Maḍāʾ as chief judge, and the two of them oversaw the banning of all non-Zahirite religious books during the Almohad reforms; Mansur was not satisfied, and when he inherited the throne, he ordered Ibn Maḍāʾ to actually undertake the burning of such books.

Death He died on 23 January 1199 in Marrakesh. He was buried temporarily in his palace in Marrakesh before being taken to his final burial place in Tinmal, where previous Almohad caliphs and Ibn Tumart were also buried.

The town of Moulay Yacoub, outside of Fez, Morocco, is named after Al-Mansur, and is best known for its therapeutic hot springs.

Moroccan football club US Yacoub El Mansour is named after the Caliph.