Dihya (668–703)
Born 668 CE, died 703 CE.
Al-Kahina (Arabic: الكاهنة, romanized: al-Kāhina, lit. 'the priestess'), also known as Dihya (Berber languages: ⴷⵉⵀⵢⴰ), was an Amazigh warrior-queen of the Aurès (present-day Algeria) and a religious and military leader who lived during the 7th century. Al-Kahina is known to have united various Amazigh tribes under her leadership to fight against the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb, leading the indigenous North African defense of the region then known as Numidia. She fought in multiple battles, notably defeating Umayyad forces in the Battle of Meskiana. Afterwards, she became the uncontested ruler of the whole Maghreb region, and remained so until being decisively defeated at the Battle of El Jem. There are various accounts of the circumstances surrounding her death, but she is thought to have died in modern-day Algeria towards the end of the 7th century, or early-8th century. For five years Al-Kahina ruled a sovereign Berber state from the Aurès Mountains to the oasis of Ghadames (698–703). She is considered one of the most famous figures in the history of the Berber resistance to the Arab conquest. Her legacy has been retold through oral tradition since her lifetime.
Text from the Wikipedia article Kahina, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.