These persons, from their numbers, constituted a political power.
Almansor, who usurped the khalifate to the prejudice of Hakem's son, thought that his usurpation would be sustained if he put himself at the head of the orthodox party.

He therefore had the library of Hakem searched, and all works of a scientific or philosophical nature carried into the public places and burnt, or thrown into the cisterns of the palace.

By a similar court revolution Averroes, in his old age--he died A.D.

1193--was expelled from Spain; the religious party had triumphed over the philosophical.

He was denounced as a traitor to religion.
An opposition to philosophy had been organized all over the Mussulman world.