[1] The Miknasa Berbers historically populated the Aurès and are part of the Dharisa tribe belonging to Botr who descended from Madghis, coming from the Aures mountains in Algeria.
[10] The principality of the Banu Midrar was founded by Miknasa who came from the Aures massif, and at the time were nomads south of Tiaret.
[11][12] The Miknasa adopted Kharijism-Islam and established the Emirate of Sijilmasa, under the Midrarid dynasty, on the northern edge of the Sahara in 757.
[citation needed] A further group of Miknasa were allied with the Fatimids against the Umayyads, and overthrew the Rustamids of Tahert in 912 and drove the Salihids from northern Morocco in 917.
[19] The modern Moroccan city of Meknes, which took its name from them,[20] bears witness to their presence, as does the Spanish town of Mequinenza.