[4] The earliest reference to her is in the anonymous 12th-century text Kitab al-Istibsar, where it says "In her time there was none more beautiful or intelligent or witty ... she was married to Yusuf, who built Marrakech for her".
She married the Almoravid Emir, Abu-Bakr Ibn-Umar in September 1068 and offered to put her immense wealth at his disposal.
Abu Bakr departed for the Sahara in January 1071, and after the Iddah legal period of 3 months' separation had ended, Zaynab duly married Yusuf in May of that year.
[8] It says that Yusuf owed the conquest of the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria and Spain) to her advice, and that she was so expert in conducting negotiations that she was nicknamed "The Magician".
Abu Bakr returned to the Sahara, but in a continuing homage to his former leader, Yusuf kept Abu-Bakr's name on the Almoravid coinage until his death some years later.
Zaynab is known to have had at least the following children by Yusuf: Her example and the fact that she assisted in creating the dynasty and its customs had great impact on the situation of women in Almoravid Morocco.