XVIᵉ siècle – XVIIᵉ siècle
Morocco
Traduction non disponible · Original (anglais) · français indisponible
The Saadi dynasty was the ruling house that controlled Morocco during the sixteenth century and into the early seventeenth century. Its authority was strengthened by the victory at the Battle of the Three Kings and by Ahmad al-Mansur’s reign, but declined after his death in 1603. Succession struggles, local revolts, religious brotherhoods, and European pressure then fractured Moroccan political authority until the Alawite dynasty established durable rule.
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Le récit
The Saadi dynasty gained renewed strength through the Moroccan victory at the Battle of the Three Kings in 1578. The defeat of the Portuguese expedition enabled Ahmad al-Mansur to take the throne and gave the dynasty new political prestige. Morocco subsequently experienced peace, prosperity, and an economic boom, particularly in the sugar industry, while royal and bourgeois patronage supported architecture, poetry, and literature.
Under al-Mansur, Saadi power also pursued territorial recovery. Arzila, Tangier, Ceuta, and Mazagan remained among the European-held towns targeted by Moroccan rulers, and Arzila was recovered in 1589. The dynasty’s ambitions extended beyond Morocco through the Sudanese expedition, which al-Mansur undertook despite opposition from advisers and religious scholars.
Al-Mansur’s death in 1603 initiated a prolonged succession crisis. Ten descendants competed for power over a little more than half a century, while brothers, cousins, heads of religious lodges, and other claimants repeatedly challenged the throne. The resulting strife weakened central government and allowed Portuguese and Spanish forces to blockade Moroccan coasts.
Local resistance and religiously inspired movements also shaped the period. Abu Abdallah Muhammad al-Ayyashi of Salé fought the Portuguese at Mazagan and temporarily pacified areas under his control, including Fez. The Shbanate faction established a short-lived regime in Marrakesh after killing the last Saadi sultan, further demonstrating the dynasty’s political disintegration.
The instability of the later Saadi rulers opened the way for the Alawite dynasty. Mawlay al-Sharif and his son Mawlay Muhammad established the beginnings of Alawite rule in the Tafilalet, while Mawlay al-Rashid conquered Fez in 1666 and progressively subdued rival authorities. By 1670, Alawite power had been established throughout Morocco, bringing the Saadi period to an end.
XVIᵉ siècle – XVIIᵉ siècle
Morocco
Traduction non disponible · Original (anglais) · français indisponible
The Saadi dynasty was the ruling house that controlled Morocco during the sixteenth century and into the early seventeenth century. Its authority was strengthened by the victory at the Battle of the Three Kings and by Ahmad al-Mansur’s reign, but declined after his death in 1603. Succession struggles, local revolts, religious brotherhoods, and European pressure then fractured Moroccan political authority until the Alawite dynasty established durable rule.
Poursuivre l’exploration
Le récit
The Saadi dynasty gained renewed strength through the Moroccan victory at the Battle of the Three Kings in 1578. The defeat of the Portuguese expedition enabled Ahmad al-Mansur to take the throne and gave the dynasty new political prestige. Morocco subsequently experienced peace, prosperity, and an economic boom, particularly in the sugar industry, while royal and bourgeois patronage supported architecture, poetry, and literature.
Under al-Mansur, Saadi power also pursued territorial recovery. Arzila, Tangier, Ceuta, and Mazagan remained among the European-held towns targeted by Moroccan rulers, and Arzila was recovered in 1589. The dynasty’s ambitions extended beyond Morocco through the Sudanese expedition, which al-Mansur undertook despite opposition from advisers and religious scholars.
Al-Mansur’s death in 1603 initiated a prolonged succession crisis. Ten descendants competed for power over a little more than half a century, while brothers, cousins, heads of religious lodges, and other claimants repeatedly challenged the throne. The resulting strife weakened central government and allowed Portuguese and Spanish forces to blockade Moroccan coasts.
Local resistance and religiously inspired movements also shaped the period. Abu Abdallah Muhammad al-Ayyashi of Salé fought the Portuguese at Mazagan and temporarily pacified areas under his control, including Fez. The Shbanate faction established a short-lived regime in Marrakesh after killing the last Saadi sultan, further demonstrating the dynasty’s political disintegration.
The instability of the later Saadi rulers opened the way for the Alawite dynasty. Mawlay al-Sharif and his son Mawlay Muhammad established the beginnings of Alawite rule in the Tafilalet, while Mawlay al-Rashid conquered Fez in 1666 and progressively subdued rival authorities. By 1670, Alawite power had been established throughout Morocco, bringing the Saadi period to an end.