io8 A TROPICAL DEPENDENCY appeared, but in Africa the northern branch of the Almoravides left a permanent mark upon history by the foundation of the town of Morocco, while the southern branch left a no less permanent record in the foundation of Timbuctoo. These two towns came into existence within twenty-five years of each other. They were born of the same Almoravide parents, and were the outcome of the same religious and political upheaval.

El Bekri, safe in the seclusion of the court of Seville, to which before his death the Almoravides were to march as stern deliverers from the Christian yoke, was aware of the formation of the sect on the southern frontier of the Desert Kingdom. He had heard of the taking of Audoghast and of the advance to Sidjilmessa in 1056. But after the taking of the latter town he had evidently received only imperfect rumours of the reorganisation of the Almoravides under their new leader Yusuf. He makes no mention of the foundation of the town of Morocco, which took place in 1062 ; and writing — as he expressly says — in the year 1067, he no doubt gave the latest information possessed at Seville, when he says : " The present Emir of the Almoravides is Abou Bekr, but their Empire is broken up and their power divided. They now maintain themselves in the desert." It is to I bn Khaldun that we turn for the fuller history of this movement.

The northward march of the Almoravides has been related in an earlier chapter. It will be remembered that when, after the death of the original leader, success had crowned the arms of Abou Bekr, he was recalled from the northern provinces by the report of dissensions which had broken out between the tribes of the kingdom in the south, and that, placing full power in the north in the hands of his cousin Yusuf (or Joseph) Tachefin, he himself returned southwards with the object of reconciling his turbulent subjects. To effect this reconciliation he initiated a new campaign to the east, in the direction thrown open by the taking of Audoghast, and, as a matter of fact, he never