Sanussi Sufi Brotherhood

The Sanusiyya is an influential Sufi Brotherhood which took root in Libya in the mid 19th century. Many of its members were key players in resisting European imperialism in the early 20th century and played a leading role in Libya’s independence movement. The head of the Order, Mohammad Idris, was crowned King in 1951. Following the 1969 coup that brought Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to power, the Sanusiyya were suppressed and the royal family was driven into exile. Despite government persecution, the Sanusiyya continue to be influential in modern Libya especially in the cities of Benghazi and Misrata.