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À partir de XVIIᵉ siècle

Alawite Dynasty

Morocco

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The Alawite dynasty is the Sharifian ruling house that established durable political authority over Morocco during the seventeenth century. Beginning with the enthronement of Mawlay Muhammad in 1640, its consolidation accelerated under Mawlay al-Rashid, who captured Fez in 1666, and Mawlay Ismail, who unified the country and recovered several European-held ports. The dynasty is presented as having ruled Morocco for three and a half centuries.

Territoire · Royaume

Poursuivre l’exploration

Demander à Uriti

  • Comment le royaume Alawite Dynasty s’est-il affirmé ?
  • Que sait-on de Alawite Dynasty à partir de 1 640 ?
  • Quel lien entre Alawite Dynasty et Tafilalet ?
  • À propos de Alawite Dynasty : peux-tu préciser « Founded with Mawlay Muhammad’s enthronement » ?

Le récit

Origins in the Tafilalet

The Alawites emerged from a Sharifian family associated with descent from the Prophet and with considerable religious prestige among the peoples of the Tafilalet. The family’s religious standing gave its members authority in a Morocco divided among the Dilawiyya of the Middle Atlas, Ibn Hassun in the Sus and High Atlas, and al-Khadr Ghaylan in the northwest. Conflict with another family holding the fortress of Tabousamt formed part of the struggle that preceded Alawite accession.

Mawlay al-Sharif supported his son Mawlay Muhammad, who was enthroned as king of Morocco in 1640. This event is identified as the beginning of the Alawite dynasty. Political consolidation was not immediate: Mawlay Muhammad fought in the Draa, laid siege to Fez, occupied Oujda, advanced toward Tlemcen, and confronted both the Dilawiyya and forces linked to Ottoman Algeria.

Mawlay al-Rashid and the reunification of Morocco

Mawlay al-Rashid rejected his brother’s authority and pursued the throne through a sequence of movements across southern and northern Morocco. After establishing himself at Taza and conquering its surrounding area, he declared himself sultan. His brother Mawlay Muhammad was killed at the beginning of a battle in 1664, marking the beginning of the broader conquest of Morocco.

Al-Rashid entered the Tafilalet and then directed his attention toward Fez. After two failed attempts, he entered the city in triumph in 1666. The capture of Fez, described as indispensable to maintaining a Moroccan government, marked the definitive establishment of Alawite rule. He subsequently defeated Muhammad al-Hajj al-Dilai, reduced the zawiya of Dila, and pacified northern and southern regions.

By 1670, Alawite power was finally established throughout Morocco. Mawlay al-Rashid also promoted administrative, cultural, and economic recovery: he built madrasas in Fez and Marrakesh, constructed a bridge over the Wadi Sebou east of Fez, supported merchants with loans, and ordered wells dug along caravan routes through the eastern deserts and the Draa.

Mawlay Ismail and territorial consolidation

Mawlay Ismail continued the work of unification and extended Muslim law throughout Morocco. He made Meknes his capital and ordered the construction of palaces, walls, stables, warehouses, gardens, and ponds. His reign also saw the recovery of al-Mahdiyya in 1681, Tangier in February 1684, Larache in November 1689, and Arzila in 1691.

To strengthen royal authority, Mawlay Ismail created the Bawakhir militia, composed of black men whom the ruler initially enrolled as slaves or former slaves. The policy provoked a long controversy with the ulama of Fez over whether free men could lawfully be reduced to slavery. In 1708, the ruler finally compelled approval of the Diwan al-Abid, or Register of Slaves, and the militia was deployed in forts and citadels across Morocco.

Mawlay Ismail also attempted to manage the political ambitions of his numerous sons by appointing them as provincial viceroys. In 1699, assignments included Tadla, the Draa, the Sus, Sijilmasa, and eastern Morocco. Revolts among several sons led him to remove most of them from office in 1717, retaining Mawlay Ahmad al-Dhahabi as governor of Tadla because his province had experienced two decades without an uprising.

Repères

  • Founded with Mawlay Muhammad’s enthronement
  • Consolidated through Fez in 1666
  • Morocco unified by 1670
  • European ports recovered under Mawlay Ismail
  • Bawakhir militia strengthened royal authority

Confiance

élevée

Ce niveau qualifie la précision des dates, localisations et limites disponibles dans le corpus actuel.

Source

General history of Africa, V: Africa from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century

Point de départ pour aller plus loin — pas une bibliographie exhaustive.

RessourcesCarte
RoyaumeConfiance élevée

À partir de XVIIᵉ siècle

Alawite Dynasty

Morocco

Écouter
Comparer
Voir dans la constellation

Traduction non disponible · Original (anglais) · français indisponible

Se connecter

The Alawite dynasty is the Sharifian ruling house that established durable political authority over Morocco during the seventeenth century. Beginning with the enthronement of Mawlay Muhammad in 1640, its consolidation accelerated under Mawlay al-Rashid, who captured Fez in 1666, and Mawlay Ismail, who unified the country and recovered several European-held ports. The dynasty is presented as having ruled Morocco for three and a half centuries.

Territoire · Royaume

Poursuivre l’exploration

Demander à Uriti

  • Comment le royaume Alawite Dynasty s’est-il affirmé ?
  • Que sait-on de Alawite Dynasty à partir de 1 640 ?
  • Quel lien entre Alawite Dynasty et Tafilalet ?
  • À propos de Alawite Dynasty : peux-tu préciser « Founded with Mawlay Muhammad’s enthronement » ?

Le récit

Origins in the Tafilalet

The Alawites emerged from a Sharifian family associated with descent from the Prophet and with considerable religious prestige among the peoples of the Tafilalet. The family’s religious standing gave its members authority in a Morocco divided among the Dilawiyya of the Middle Atlas, Ibn Hassun in the Sus and High Atlas, and al-Khadr Ghaylan in the northwest. Conflict with another family holding the fortress of Tabousamt formed part of the struggle that preceded Alawite accession.

Mawlay al-Sharif supported his son Mawlay Muhammad, who was enthroned as king of Morocco in 1640. This event is identified as the beginning of the Alawite dynasty. Political consolidation was not immediate: Mawlay Muhammad fought in the Draa, laid siege to Fez, occupied Oujda, advanced toward Tlemcen, and confronted both the Dilawiyya and forces linked to Ottoman Algeria.

Mawlay al-Rashid and the reunification of Morocco

Mawlay al-Rashid rejected his brother’s authority and pursued the throne through a sequence of movements across southern and northern Morocco. After establishing himself at Taza and conquering its surrounding area, he declared himself sultan. His brother Mawlay Muhammad was killed at the beginning of a battle in 1664, marking the beginning of the broader conquest of Morocco.

Al-Rashid entered the Tafilalet and then directed his attention toward Fez. After two failed attempts, he entered the city in triumph in 1666. The capture of Fez, described as indispensable to maintaining a Moroccan government, marked the definitive establishment of Alawite rule. He subsequently defeated Muhammad al-Hajj al-Dilai, reduced the zawiya of Dila, and pacified northern and southern regions.

By 1670, Alawite power was finally established throughout Morocco. Mawlay al-Rashid also promoted administrative, cultural, and economic recovery: he built madrasas in Fez and Marrakesh, constructed a bridge over the Wadi Sebou east of Fez, supported merchants with loans, and ordered wells dug along caravan routes through the eastern deserts and the Draa.

Mawlay Ismail and territorial consolidation

Mawlay Ismail continued the work of unification and extended Muslim law throughout Morocco. He made Meknes his capital and ordered the construction of palaces, walls, stables, warehouses, gardens, and ponds. His reign also saw the recovery of al-Mahdiyya in 1681, Tangier in February 1684, Larache in November 1689, and Arzila in 1691.

To strengthen royal authority, Mawlay Ismail created the Bawakhir militia, composed of black men whom the ruler initially enrolled as slaves or former slaves. The policy provoked a long controversy with the ulama of Fez over whether free men could lawfully be reduced to slavery. In 1708, the ruler finally compelled approval of the Diwan al-Abid, or Register of Slaves, and the militia was deployed in forts and citadels across Morocco.

Mawlay Ismail also attempted to manage the political ambitions of his numerous sons by appointing them as provincial viceroys. In 1699, assignments included Tadla, the Draa, the Sus, Sijilmasa, and eastern Morocco. Revolts among several sons led him to remove most of them from office in 1717, retaining Mawlay Ahmad al-Dhahabi as governor of Tadla because his province had experienced two decades without an uprising.

Repères

  • Founded with Mawlay Muhammad’s enthronement
  • Consolidated through Fez in 1666
  • Morocco unified by 1670
  • European ports recovered under Mawlay Ismail
  • Bawakhir militia strengthened royal authority

Confiance

élevée

Ce niveau qualifie la précision des dates, localisations et limites disponibles dans le corpus actuel.

Source

General history of Africa, V: Africa from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century

Point de départ pour aller plus loin — pas une bibliographie exhaustive.

Continuer le voyage

Chemins liés

D’autres chemins liés à cette histoire.

  • Saadi DynastyRoyaume·XVIᵉ siècle — XVIIᵉ siècle