Wonder Woman of the Week: Dihya

The Berber Peoples of Northern Africa are one of the few remaining semi-nomadic peoples on Earth today, but their history is rich with warfare, religion, and beauty spread across the Sahara. It is perhaps symbolic then that one of their most important historical figures was a woman who encapsulated all three characteristics. Dihya was a 7th Century war chief during a tumultuous time in North Africa. The fall of the Western Roman Empire left a power vacuum in the region that preceded Islamic Expansion into the region. At the forefront was the warrior queen Dihya tasked with leading her people in resistance to an expanding Arabian empire.

The Umayyad Dynasty had its eyes on establishing a massive empire to unite the Muslim kingdoms of the Middle East- leading to an empire that stretched from modern-day Afghanistan to Morocco and southern Spain. During their expansion into Northern Africa, several Berber tribes attempted to resist- including the Zenata of modern-day Algeria. Dihya was the chieftain of the tribe when Umayyad armies began entering the region, and the warchief was tasked with leading her tribe's armies to resist the invasion. At the Battle of Meskiana, Dihya defeated the Umayyad army- led by Hasan ibn al Nu'man- so soundly that the commander retreated and did not return for five years.

When Hasan returned after five years of raising a new army, he defeated Dihya at the Battle of Tabarka at around the year 700. The Umayyad converted her tribe to Islam following their conquest and continued further westward into modern-day Morocco and Spain. Dihya became a romanticised figure after her death with several diverse groups claiming ownership of her image. Some stories claim Dihya was either Jewish or Christian, other claim the chieftain was a descendant of Western Roman royalty. Regardless, Dihya is today a major symbol of Berber feminism and Algerian women's history- an icon of the resilience and strength of the Berber Peoples.