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Chapter 114: The Brotherhood of the Warriors of Faith, Barabary Pirates, and the Oases of the Eastern Teneré
(Q: Do you have any ideas for a true Berber name for the Donatists?)
Tamasga (1) remains culturally divided between the Highland and Lowland regions, the divisions being marked by a divided between Southern Romance and Berber languages, and the societal divide between a semi-feudal, semi-urban society in the Lowlands, and semi-feudal, semi-clannish society in the highlands. This divide has however almost no religious connotations by the thirteenth century.
Mauritania remains ruled by the Izayen dynasty of Berber origin, which has come to power in the past century. The first king of the Izayen dynasty has been Baga I., who has killed king Frimyanu and his nobles. Mauritania has then descended into civil war between the Latins in the lowlands and the Berbers in the Highlands. With a Berber dynasty in power, Mauritania switches its focus inland, with their first target being the wealthy city of Sijilamassa, at the edge of the Teneré (2). Sijilmassa has profited from the Trans-Teneré caravan trade for centuries, providing the Mediterranean with salt and gold.
View attachment 534466
A fortification in Mauritania
With well-equipped Berber warriors, supplemented by coastal knights, king Kéčyanu (3) was able to capture Sijilmasa and take over control of the caravan networks. Unfortunately for Mauritania, the Lusitans have found a naval route to Mali, and gold has been flowing northwards not through the sand, but in ships through the salty waters of the Atlantic. The Berber kings were furious – while having taken over the city that was controlling the northern end of the Trans-Teneré trade, most of it was diverted by the Lusitans away from their lands.
To counter these attacks, the Mauritans chartered several privateers in their ports, who were operating from bases along the Atlantic Coast, and on the Canary islands, with the purpose of capturing returning Lusitan ships and their gold returning northwards. Piracy in that extent was not to be tolerated by the Lusitans, and king Afonso declares war upon Mauritania. The war has turned out to be a disaster for the Mauritan navy – especially when the Lusitan fleet captures Mauritan bases in the eastern Canary Islands and heavily garrison these islands. The Lusitans did not bother to disembark on the Mauritan coast; their main has been to destroy the privateering capacities of the Mauritans – this involved the burning down or capturing of ships, but not large scale occupation of the coasts. To rebuild the lost navy, entire forests are logged down, leaving the country as pasture for sheep and goats
View attachment 534467
Berber mounted horsemen
Another target of Mauritan attacks was Késaryeš (4), with the border between the two being pushed slightly eastwards. Késaryeš however preserves its independence.
The Holy State of Aghlan has become a bastion of the Donatist faith in the oasis of the northern Teneré Desert, as has its eastern neighbour, the Duchy of Tuggurt..
Afirka remains one of the dominant powers in Tamasga. Controlling much of Sardinia, Numigia and the Libyan Coast, Afirka remains focused on trade in the Mediterranean. While originally not a primary concern for Afirkans, the religious issue has become a problem the Afirkan kings have had to deal with. Many of their Donatist subjects have been recruited in the churches by zealous preachers, and were led into monasteries found beyond the Atlas Mountains. There, they were trained to become warrior monks, one of the most feared military units of the Tamasga.
The concept of warrior monks has emerged in the past century, developing the historical tradition that has existed in the area in the form of the Circumcellions. The concept has become more institutionalized and made use of, and transformed into a military order of formidable cavalry skirmishers, perfect ambushers, experts in desert warfare and covert operations.
Under the name of the Brotherhood of the Warriors of Faith, they have attracted a large pool of recruits, who return from the desert to accomplish missions aimed at creating havoc in Afirka. The Afirkans respond by outlawing Donatists within their realm and mustering a formidable cavalry host, made largely by the contingents of the Duchy of Numigia, the most powerful vassals of the Afirkan kings – in return the Dukes come to rule their realm almost independently.
View attachment 534453
Religion in Tamazga. The Atlas Mountaisn make the general border between the Catholic north and the Donatist south
The Brotherhood of the Warriors of Faith, with its established bases and monasteries in Tuggurt, Aghlan, and Fasania, is planning to invade Afirka from the south, seeking to establish Girva as their base of operations. Afirka has only recently suffered a defeat from Navarre and lost the Balearic Islands, and their forces are recovering from the defeat.
The Brotherhood of the Warriors of Faith sought the Catholics as heretics, who have corrupted the true message of faith, and claim that the original Christianity has departed from and Catholicism represent a mix of the previous pagan cults of ancient Rome with a Christian façade (5). In their teachings, Carthage with its culture of wealth and prosperity is a place of luxury and sin, and their warriors are just warriors for the faith, ready to liberate their oppressed brethren under the rule of Afirka.
View attachment 534468
The desert environment provides a refuge for the Donatists to retreat to
The king, Trazmún III., personally leads the expedition, aiming to do away with the Donatist menace once and for all. The Brotherhood lures the Afirkan host deep into the desert of Fazania. There, outside the oasis of Gadames, they utterly defeat the Afirkan forces. Being experts in desert warfare and driven by religious zeal, the Brotherhood manages to win a significant victory over Afirka.
The counterattack was carried northwards, seizing the island of Girva, where the Brotherhood establishes their monastic state, which is to spread eastwards along the Tirfowitan coast up to the border with the Rhomaic Empire.
View attachment 534452
A political map of the Tamasga. Notice Afirka, which has been significantly reduced in size
The existence of a monastic state in Tirfowitanya, hostile to Afirka means that the northern end of the middle route of the Trans-Teneré network has come under control of a power hostile to Afirka, and the Afirkans are no looking for the alliance with Contestania or Genoa to secure their position, as they are feeling increasingly threatened from hostile Donatists Berber states that have merged at the edge of the desert. Or perhaps, the key to crushing these religious fanatics could lie on the other side of the Teneré.
In Tirfowitanya, the establishment of the Monastic state has meant that Donatism has become the state religion, and with the network of the monasteries and castles, the region no longer is a backwater, and this results in the utter disappearance of the Punic language in Syrte
View attachment 534464
The Monastic state of Tibwitanya displayed in very light blue
Fazanya remains a tribal region populated by Tuareg clansmen. Although this region is sparsely populated, mainly around oases, it plays a crucial part in the caravan network and traffic going across the Teneré.
I will spare a few words also of the eastern Teneré desert. The region covers the Tibesti Mountains and the regions to the south of Cyrenaica, and includes the Siwa Oasis as well. The eastern Teneré is a hot desert with very few inhabitants. Those few who manage to survive in this hostile environment are grouped in the handful of oases, islands where people are able to live in this forbidding environment.
View attachment 534458
Languages of the Tamasga. The Berber have spread as far east as the Siwah Oasis
Directly south of Cyrenaic lies Awjila, a desert oasis populated mostly by Berbers.
The oasis of Siwah has for long been thought to have been the last refuge of either Kemetic paganism or the Gnostic cults of the Nile. Since the collapse of Rhomaic rule over Kemet, the oasis was largely independent, and has been visited only by caravan traders. However, Berber caravans did bring the Donatist religion to the oasis (6) although distinct , heretic, if you wish, practices in the oasis remain.
View attachment 534465
Tebou girl in traditional attire
Natural barriers have hindered contact between the foothills of the Tibesti Mountains and the Cyrenaican coast. The people living there are called the Tebou, and belong to the Nilo-Saharan peoples inhabiting also the basin of Lake Chad and inhabit the oases such as Muzui (7), Buzema and Tazirbu. Collectively, this region is known as Berdoa (8). These people, known also as the Black Nomads of the Teneré, are organized in a clan system, and their society is strictly organized into three major castes – freemen, artisans and slaves.
Mauritania remains ruled by the Izayen dynasty of Berber origin, which has come to power in the past century. The first king of the Izayen dynasty has been Baga I., who has killed king Frimyanu and his nobles. Mauritania has then descended into civil war between the Latins in the lowlands and the Berbers in the Highlands. With a Berber dynasty in power, Mauritania switches its focus inland, with their first target being the wealthy city of Sijilamassa, at the edge of the Teneré (2). Sijilmassa has profited from the Trans-Teneré caravan trade for centuries, providing the Mediterranean with salt and gold.
View attachment 534466
A fortification in Mauritania
With well-equipped Berber warriors, supplemented by coastal knights, king Kéčyanu (3) was able to capture Sijilmasa and take over control of the caravan networks. Unfortunately for Mauritania, the Lusitans have found a naval route to Mali, and gold has been flowing northwards not through the sand, but in ships through the salty waters of the Atlantic. The Berber kings were furious – while having taken over the city that was controlling the northern end of the Trans-Teneré trade, most of it was diverted by the Lusitans away from their lands.
To counter these attacks, the Mauritans chartered several privateers in their ports, who were operating from bases along the Atlantic Coast, and on the Canary islands, with the purpose of capturing returning Lusitan ships and their gold returning northwards. Piracy in that extent was not to be tolerated by the Lusitans, and king Afonso declares war upon Mauritania. The war has turned out to be a disaster for the Mauritan navy – especially when the Lusitan fleet captures Mauritan bases in the eastern Canary Islands and heavily garrison these islands. The Lusitans did not bother to disembark on the Mauritan coast; their main has been to destroy the privateering capacities of the Mauritans – this involved the burning down or capturing of ships, but not large scale occupation of the coasts. To rebuild the lost navy, entire forests are logged down, leaving the country as pasture for sheep and goats
View attachment 534467
Berber mounted horsemen
Another target of Mauritan attacks was Késaryeš (4), with the border between the two being pushed slightly eastwards. Késaryeš however preserves its independence.
The Holy State of Aghlan has become a bastion of the Donatist faith in the oasis of the northern Teneré Desert, as has its eastern neighbour, the Duchy of Tuggurt..
Afirka remains one of the dominant powers in Tamasga. Controlling much of Sardinia, Numigia and the Libyan Coast, Afirka remains focused on trade in the Mediterranean. While originally not a primary concern for Afirkans, the religious issue has become a problem the Afirkan kings have had to deal with. Many of their Donatist subjects have been recruited in the churches by zealous preachers, and were led into monasteries found beyond the Atlas Mountains. There, they were trained to become warrior monks, one of the most feared military units of the Tamasga.
The concept of warrior monks has emerged in the past century, developing the historical tradition that has existed in the area in the form of the Circumcellions. The concept has become more institutionalized and made use of, and transformed into a military order of formidable cavalry skirmishers, perfect ambushers, experts in desert warfare and covert operations.
Under the name of the Brotherhood of the Warriors of Faith, they have attracted a large pool of recruits, who return from the desert to accomplish missions aimed at creating havoc in Afirka. The Afirkans respond by outlawing Donatists within their realm and mustering a formidable cavalry host, made largely by the contingents of the Duchy of Numigia, the most powerful vassals of the Afirkan kings – in return the Dukes come to rule their realm almost independently.
View attachment 534453
Religion in Tamazga. The Atlas Mountaisn make the general border between the Catholic north and the Donatist south
The Brotherhood of the Warriors of Faith, with its established bases and monasteries in Tuggurt, Aghlan, and Fasania, is planning to invade Afirka from the south, seeking to establish Girva as their base of operations. Afirka has only recently suffered a defeat from Navarre and lost the Balearic Islands, and their forces are recovering from the defeat.
The Brotherhood of the Warriors of Faith sought the Catholics as heretics, who have corrupted the true message of faith, and claim that the original Christianity has departed from and Catholicism represent a mix of the previous pagan cults of ancient Rome with a Christian façade (5). In their teachings, Carthage with its culture of wealth and prosperity is a place of luxury and sin, and their warriors are just warriors for the faith, ready to liberate their oppressed brethren under the rule of Afirka.
View attachment 534468
The desert environment provides a refuge for the Donatists to retreat to
The king, Trazmún III., personally leads the expedition, aiming to do away with the Donatist menace once and for all. The Brotherhood lures the Afirkan host deep into the desert of Fazania. There, outside the oasis of Gadames, they utterly defeat the Afirkan forces. Being experts in desert warfare and driven by religious zeal, the Brotherhood manages to win a significant victory over Afirka.
The counterattack was carried northwards, seizing the island of Girva, where the Brotherhood establishes their monastic state, which is to spread eastwards along the Tirfowitan coast up to the border with the Rhomaic Empire.
View attachment 534452
A political map of the Tamasga. Notice Afirka, which has been significantly reduced in size
The existence of a monastic state in Tirfowitanya, hostile to Afirka means that the northern end of the middle route of the Trans-Teneré network has come under control of a power hostile to Afirka, and the Afirkans are no looking for the alliance with Contestania or Genoa to secure their position, as they are feeling increasingly threatened from hostile Donatists Berber states that have merged at the edge of the desert. Or perhaps, the key to crushing these religious fanatics could lie on the other side of the Teneré.
In Tirfowitanya, the establishment of the Monastic state has meant that Donatism has become the state religion, and with the network of the monasteries and castles, the region no longer is a backwater, and this results in the utter disappearance of the Punic language in Syrte
View attachment 534464
The Monastic state of Tibwitanya displayed in very light blue
Fazanya remains a tribal region populated by Tuareg clansmen. Although this region is sparsely populated, mainly around oases, it plays a crucial part in the caravan network and traffic going across the Teneré.
I will spare a few words also of the eastern Teneré desert. The region covers the Tibesti Mountains and the regions to the south of Cyrenaica, and includes the Siwa Oasis as well. The eastern Teneré is a hot desert with very few inhabitants. Those few who manage to survive in this hostile environment are grouped in the handful of oases, islands where people are able to live in this forbidding environment.
View attachment 534458
Languages of the Tamasga. The Berber have spread as far east as the Siwah Oasis
Directly south of Cyrenaic lies Awjila, a desert oasis populated mostly by Berbers.
The oasis of Siwah has for long been thought to have been the last refuge of either Kemetic paganism or the Gnostic cults of the Nile. Since the collapse of Rhomaic rule over Kemet, the oasis was largely independent, and has been visited only by caravan traders. However, Berber caravans did bring the Donatist religion to the oasis (6) although distinct , heretic, if you wish, practices in the oasis remain.
View attachment 534465
Tebou girl in traditional attire
Natural barriers have hindered contact between the foothills of the Tibesti Mountains and the Cyrenaican coast. The people living there are called the Tebou, and belong to the Nilo-Saharan peoples inhabiting also the basin of Lake Chad and inhabit the oases such as Muzui (7), Buzema and Tazirbu. Collectively, this region is known as Berdoa (8). These people, known also as the Black Nomads of the Teneré, are organized in a clan system, and their society is strictly organized into three major castes – freemen, artisans and slaves.
- Maghreb
- Sahara, original Berber name thereof
- An adaptation of the name Caecilianus.
- Mauritania Caesarensis.
- The Great Apostasy , as taught by the Protestants
- I know that having a Gnostic sect survive in this oasis would have been cool, but well it makes little sense especially if the oasis is thinly populated. Even if it were possible, in a desert culture most of the “secret knowledge” would be either lost or there would be few people to pass it on into. Local folklore however may be still influenced by gnostic beliefs
- Rebiana
- Al Kufra in south-eastern Libya. The Arabic name means that the inhabitants had been pagans for a long time.
(Q: Do you have any ideas for a true Berber name for the Donatists?)
- Tomislav Addai
- Word Count: 1.5k