Ibn Tumart was a 12th-century Berber religious leader and the founder of the Almoravid movement. He was born around 1080 in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and is known for his efforts to reform Islam among the Berber tribes. His teachings emphasized strict adherence to the Maliki school of thought and a return to the original principles of Islam. He claimed to be the Mahdi, a messianic figure in Islam, and gathered a following that eventually led to the establishment of the Almoravid dynasty. Ibn Tumart's influence helped unify various Berber tribes and laid the groundwork for the expansion of the Almoravid empire across North Africa and into Spain.