[BtS] Civ of the Week: Berbers 2016-10-05

Civ of the Week is a “project” aiming at bringing you a new, fresh, exotic, and most of all, random, civ every 1-2 weeks, from all corners of the globe, from the Vietnamese to the Mittanni to the Iraqis. Each civilization features full civilopedia text entires, 1-2 leaders with unique game and diplomatic attitudes (they're not simply a copy of another leader!), a UU, a UB, unique diplomacy music, and full graphics.

The purpose of Civ of the Week, then, is three-fold:

1. To bring you random civs that would probably not have been chosen as civilizations first of all, and to provide a new, more exotic, more interesting experience in choosing civilizations.

2. To promote more knowledge of lesser-known peoples, cultures, and histories.

3. Make more civs for the totally awesome Civ Gold mod.


Otherwise, then, enjoy!

[FONT=&quot]Leader:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Abd el-Krim (Charismatic, Philosophical)

UU: Libyan Warrior (Archer) (-10 hammer cost, starts with March promotion)

UB: Foggara (Aqueduct) (+15% production)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Starting Techs:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Agriculture, Hunting[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Credits:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Bakuel (unit), Chamaedrys (building)[/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]Description: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]The Berbers are a large group of people inhabiting northern Africa. They live in a variety of climates, from the savannahs of the Sahel to the Mediterranean climate of Northern Africa. Having existed for thousands of years, they have played an important role in the history of various empires, including the Egyptians, the Romans, the Arabs, and the Spanish. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The first peoples of whom historians can definitely call ‘Berber’ were the ancient Libyans. Known to the ancient Egyptians as various names, including Libu and Meshwesh, these ancient Berbers were desert nomads who, at times, either traded peacefully with or attacked and raided Egypt. In fact, in the 800s BCE, one group of Berbers, under the leadership of a certain chieftain named Sheshonq I (who may or may not be the Pharaoh Shishak mentioned in the Bible), established a ruling dynasty in Egypt for several centuries.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]During classical times, the Berbers played a key role in the rise and fall of the Carthaginian Empire. The Berbers established two important states in North Africa at this time, namely Numidia and Mauretania. Powerful and influential, both eventually were assimilated into the Roman Empire. Several Roman emperors were probably of Berber descent, and, even after the fall of the Roman Empire, the Berbers still acknowledged, to some degree or another, the rule of the Byzantine Empire.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]However, with the military campaigns of the Islamic Empire in the 600s CE, the Berbers were effectively cut off from the Byzantines. Despite the fervor and superior resources of the Islamic armies, the Berbers managed to fend off attacks well into the 700s CE, thanks in part to their great leaders, such as the woman-warrior Kahina. Eventually, however, the Berbers were subdued and converted to Islam (but even then, the Berbers still kept a great degree of autonomy and independence from the Arabs). They then played an important role in the invasion of Iberia. After this time, they were known collectively as the Moors.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]With the collapse of the Islamic Empire, various Moorish dynasties and kingdoms were set up in Iberia and Northern Africa, including the Almoravids, the Almohads, and the Kingdoms of Cordoba and Granada. Powerful and prosperous, the Moors excelled in all aspects of civilization – they made great strides in the physical sciences; they developed a beautiful culture, with amazing architecture, music, and so forth; and they were one of the most tolerant societies in the world at the time, where Muslims, Jews, and Christians could live together in relative peace. With the reconquista, however, the Moors were effectively kicked out of the Spain. Their position in North Africa was threatened for some time by the Spanish and Portuguese, but they managed to fend off Iberian attacks for many centuries.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]By this time, the main Middle Eastern power was the Ottoman Empire. Having conquered the Byzantine and Mamluk Empires, the Ottomans now looked to the Berbers. The Berbers, however, managed to, despite being subjugated into the Ottoman Empire, keep a good degree of autonomy. By the 1600s and 1700s, with the European age of sail, the Berbers even took advantage of the situation – under the approval of Ottoman authorities, myriads of Berbers took to the seas in search of plunder and slaves. They conducted raids that targeted all of Europe, including Italy, Iberia, and France; however, some raids went as far as Ireland and even Iceland. To Europe, the ‘Barbary Pirates’ were a constant menacing source that could not be dealt with adequately.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]It was only until the 1800s, when various Western powers began to gain a technological advantage over the Barbary Pirates’ ships, could their threat be dealt with. Once the Barbary Pirates went in the decline, Western powers began colonizing North Africa. By the late 1800s, it was the French and Spanish who held claim over most of the Berbers. However, resistance was not uncommon, and one revolt, led by Abd el-Krim, even managed to create an independent state in North Africa for several years in the 1920s.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]With European decolonization in the mid-1900s, the Berbers were divided into several countries, including Algeria, Morocco, and so forth. To this day, they still have a rich and deep culture that stretches back thousands of years. Contrary to popular opinion, the Berbers are rather different from the Arabs in terms of culture and heritage, and they are fiercely proud of that fact. From history to culture, and science to politics, the Berbers have played an important role in the development of Western civilization, one that cannot be ignored.[/FONT]