Hassane

The Hassane is a name for the traditionally dominant warrior tribes of the Sahrawi-Moorish areas of present-day Mauritania and Western Sahara. Although lines were blurred by intermarriage and tribal re-affiliation, the Hassane were considered descendants of the Arab Maqil tribe Beni Hassan (hence the name), and held power over Sanhadja Berber-descended zawiya (religious) and znaga (servant) tribes, extracting from these the horma tax in exchange for armed protection. [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+mr0050)] Occasionally, such as in the case of the important Reguibat tribe, Zaouiya Berber groups would rise to Hassane status by growing in power and prestige and taking up armed raiding; they would then often Arabize culturally to fit the prevailing image of Hassane tribes as "original" Arabs.

A good example of a Hassane tribe is the Río de Oro-centered Oulad Delim, which is considered as among the purest descendants of the Beni Hassan.

See also

Tribal castes and terms:
* Zaouiya (religious tribes)
* Znaga (subservient tribes)
* Haratine (former slaves, freedmen)
* Abid (slaves)
* Igaouen (griot bards and magicians)

Other:
* Mauritania
* Western Sahara
* Hassaniya Arabic
* Arab
* Berber
* Sahrawi
* Moors

Further reading

* John Mercer (1976), "Spanish Sahara", George Allen & Unwid Ltd (ISBN 0-04-966013-6)
* Anthony G. Pazzanita (2006), "Historical Dictionary of Western Sahara", Scarecrow Press
* Virginia Thompson and Richard Adloff (1980), "The Western Saharans. Background to Conflict", Barnes & Noble Books (ISBN 0-389-20148-0)