Al-Kahina, Queen of the Berbers

Al-Kahina, queen of the Berbers. Al-Baladhuri says that Hassan ibn al-Nu'man al-Ghassani, governor of Ifriqiya, attacked her and she defeated him, then he attacked her a second time and killed her. Ibn Khaldun names her Dahya, Matiya daughter of Tifan, queen of the Aurès mountains. ^{1 2}

Al-Kahina defeated Hassan, and he fled to palaces in the region of Barqa, called the Palaces of Hassan. Then he attacked her a second time and took captives from among the Berbers. ¹ See Hassan and al-Kahina and the Berbers.

He says that her people were of the Jarawa, and that Hassan advanced on her, and they fought at the Wadi Maskiyana, where the Muslims were routed and she captured Khalid ibn Yazid al-Qaysi. She remained in the rule of Ifriqiya for five years, and she ruined cities and estates. Then the Berbers gave their allegiance to Hassan, and she was defeated and killed in the Aurès mountains. ²

He says that Hassan met her at a river called Nini or Maskiyana, where she was victorious. Then he killed her after Khalid ibn Yazid al-Absi showed him where the gatherings were, and her killing was at a well named after her near Gabes. ³

• The accounts differ on the place of her killing (the Aurès mountains or near Gabes) and on the lineage of Khalid (al-Qaysi or al-Absi).
• Ibn Khaldun's account in the text gives the years 79 AH and 74 AH for Hassan; the order needs to be checked.