Abu Yahya was the son of Abd al-Haqq I and the brother of both Uthman I and Muhammad I.

When he ascended the throne in 1244, Abu Yahya shared control of Morocco with the various Marinid clans then grouped together in the east of Upper Moulouya.

He captured the territory of Meknes which became the first Marinid capital, but the Almohad Abu al-Hasan as-Said led an offensive against him.

Abu al-Hasan as-Said then took the opportunity to attack Yaghmurasen Ibn Zyan, founder of the kingdom of Tlemcen, but in 1248 he was killed and Abu Yahya wiped out what remained of the Almohad army in Guercif.

By the time Abu Yahya died of illness in 1258, the Almohads only controlled  the High Atlas, the Sous, the region of Marrakesh and the area between this city and Oum Er-Rbia River.