Yahya ibn Ghaniya

Yahya ibn Ali ibn Ghaniya (Arabic: يحيى بن علي بن غانية), more commonly known as Ibn Ghaniya,^[1] was governor of Valencia and Murcia (1133-1145) and of al-Andalus (1146-1148).^[2] He was son of Ali ibn Yusuf, Almoravid emir, and the princess Ghaniya and brother of Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Ganiya [es], Almoravid vali of Mallorca.^[3] He is the first known person of the Banu Ghaniya.^[2]

Yahya ibn Ali ibn Ghaniya
Governor of Valencia
In office 1133–1145
Monarchs	Ali ibn Yusuf Tashfin ibn Ali
Governor of Murcia
In office 1133–1145
Monarchs	Ali ibn Yusuf Tashfin ibn Ali
Governor of al-Andalus
In office 1146–1148
Monarchs	Ibrahim ibn Tashfin Ishaq ibn Ali
Personal details
Died	1148 Granada
Parent	Ali ibn Yusuf
Military service
Allegiance	Almoravid Empire
Rank	Military commander

Biography

In 1133 he participated in the siege of Fraga, bringing troops from Valencia and breaking the siege. It seems that he had a single combat with the Aragonese king Alfonso the Battler, whom he mortally wounded.^[4] When the Taifa revolts against the Almoravids broke out, Yahya ibn Ali ibn Ghaniya commanded the Almoravid troops^[5] and faced the revolt but ended up fleeing to Almería.^[6] In 1146 he unsuccessfully defended Córdoba against Alfonso VII of León and Castile, of whom he eventually declared himself a vassal.^[5] After the Almohad landing on Cádiz in 1146, he was one of the last defenders of the Almoravids and he died in Granada in 1148.^[1]