The Almoravids were a Berber dynasty that emerged from the western Sahara desert in the middle 11th century to rule practically all of the territory from the Senegal River in West Africa to the Ebro River in Spain, explains Messier (emeritus history, Middle Tennessee State U.-Murfreesboro), and he traces their century-long story on the framework of their concept and practice of holy war. Among the stages of the journey are Islamic reformism in West Africa during the 11th century, from Aghmat to Marrackech, the urban nomad, jihad in Andalusia, the Almoravids confront El Cid, voices of dissent, and the dynasty's historian Ibn Khaldun. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)