African Kingdoms

Morocco

Byzantine rule in Morocco was ended by the Arabs, who invaded in 682 in the course of their drive to expand the power of Islam. Except for the Jews, the inhabitants of Morocco, both Christian and pagan, soon accepted the religion of their conquerors. Berber troops were used extensively by the Arabs in their conquest of Visigoth Spain, which began in 711.

682 - 788

North Africa is separated from Byzantium by the Islamic empire.

788

The Islamic Idrisids become independent from Arabia.

Idrisid Dynasty
AD 788 - 974

The first Arab dynasty to rule over the whole of Morocco was named after Idris, a refugee from the east who was the great-great- grandson of Fatima, daughter of the prophet Muhammad. In 793 Idris was poisoned, apparently by an emissary from the Abassid caliph Harun ar-Rashid, from whose usurpation he had fled. Idris' son made Fès his capital, which was to become a centre of Islamic and Arab culture throughout the centuries.

788 - 793

Idris I

Refugee from the east.

793 - 828

Idris II

Son.

828 - 836

Muhammad ibn Idris

836 - 848

Ali ibn Idris / Ali I

848 - 864

Yahya ibn Muhammad / Yahya I

864 - 874

Yahya ibn Yahya / Yahya II

874 - 883

Ali ibn Umar / Ali II

883 - 904

Yahya ibn Al-Qassim / Yahya III

904 - 917

Yahya ibn Idris ibn Umar / Yahya IV

922 - 925

The Idrisids are overthrown by the Tunisian Fatamids.

925 - 927

Hassan I al-Hajjam

927 - 937

The Idrisids are again overthrown by the Tunisian Fatamids.

937 - 948

Al Qasim Gannum

948 - 954

Abu l-Aish Ahmad

954 - 974

Al-Hasan ben Kannun / Hassan II

Not to be confused with Hassan II of the Alawis, b.1929.

985

The last Idrisid makes the mistake of switching allegiances back to the Fatamids, and is deposed and executed by the Caliphate of Cordoba.

1062 - 1147

South Morocco is held by the Mauretanian Almoravids.

1147

The Almohads overthrow the Almoravids. They also occupy East Algeria, Mauritania and Tunisia.

Almohad (Muwahid) Caliphs of Spain & North Africa
AD 1147 - 1269

The Almohads very quickly drew much of Algeria, Mauritania, and Tunisia into their realm, while also controlling all of Islamic Spain. Almohad Spain was distinguished by intellectual brilliance and by intolerant oppression. By the early thirteenth century, the Christian kingdoms had made large in-roads into the Islamic territories, and the Almohads soon lost most of Spain, abandoned the peninsula, and then were even overthrown in North Africa.

1130 - 1163

Abdul-Mumin

1163 - 1184

Yusuf I abu Yaqub

1184 - 1199

Yaqub ibn Yusuf al Mansur

1199 - 1213

Muhammad ibn Yaqub

1212

Muhammad suffers a devastating defeat by Christian Spain at Los Navos de Tolosa.

1213 - 1224

Yusuf II Abu Yaqub

1224

Abdul-Wahid (Abu Muhammad)

1224 - 1227

Abdallah Abu Muhammad

1227 - 1235

Yahya Abu Zakariyya

1227 - 1232

Idris I ibn Yaqub

1228 - 1229

The Almohads effect the abandonment of Spain. Only the Nasrid Kings of Granada remain there in the far south.

1232 - 1242

Abdul-Wahid ibn Idris I

1242 - 1248

Ali ibn Idris I

1248

The Berber Merinids capture and make Fès their capital.

1248 - 1266

Umar ibn Ishaq

1266 - 1269

Idris II ibn Muhammad

1269

North Africa breaks up between the Hafsids, Merinids, and the Algerian Abdul-Wadids and Zayyanids). The Merinids make Fes their capital.

Merinid Dynasty / Marinids / Beni Merin
AD (1195) 1248 - 1465

The Berber Merinids originally came from south-east of present-day Morocco, from which they were expelled in 1224 by another tribe, the Hilali. As early as 1145 the Merinids engaged in battles with the Almohads, who defeated them until 1169. In 1169, the Merinids began their pursuit of taking Morocco from the Almohads.

Following their expulsion from the south, they moved northwards under command of Abu Yahya ibn Abd al-Haqq and took Fes in 1248, making it their capital and marking the beginning of their dynasty. The Merinid leadership installed in Fes declared the war on the Almohads with the aid of Christian mercenaries there. Capturing Marrakech in 1269, they took control of most of the Maghreb towards the end of 1268, including present-day Morocco, Algeria and part of Tunisia.

1195 - 1217

Abd al-Haqq I

Died in combat against the Almohads.

1217 - 1240

Uthman ibn Abd al-Haqq / Uthman I

Assassinated by one of his Christian slaves.

1240 - 1244

Muhammad ibn Abd Al-Haqq/Muhammad I

Killed by officer of his own Christian militia.

1244 - 1258

Abu Yahya ibn Abd al-Haqq

Death through illness.

1258 - 1286

Abu Yusuf Yaqub ibn Abd Al-Haqq

Uncle. Death through illness.

1286 - 1307

Abu Yaqub Yusuf an-Nasr

Son. Assassinated by a court eunuch.

1307 - 1308

Abu Thabit Amir

Son. Death through illness.

1308 - 1310

Abu al-Rabi Sulayman

Brother. Death through illness.

1310 - 1331

Abu Said Uthman

Brother.

1331 - 1348

Abu al-Hasan ibn Uthman

Son. Imprisoned until at least 1366.

1337 - 1348

The Merinids conquer Zayyanid Algeria.

1348 - 1358

Abu Inan Faris

Son. Assassinated by his vizir. Merinids begin to decline.

1352 - 1359

The Merinids again conquer Zayyanid Algeria.

1358

The Merinids had begun to decline during Abu Inan Faris' reign, and his murder begins a period of instability, with the viziers raising several claimants to the throne in succession. King Pedro of Castile supports the third of these, Abu Salim Ibrahim, in a clear show of increasing Spanish influence on North Africa.

1358

Abu Zian as-Said Muhammad ibn Faris

Installed by viziers. Lasted a few months.

1358

Abu Yahya abu Bakr ibn Faris

Lasted a few months.

1359 - 1361

Abu Salim Ibrahim

Son of al-Hasan. Installed by viziers. Replaced.

1361

Abu Umar Tachfin

Reigned a few months. 'Reign of the vizirs' ends.

1362 - 1366

Muhammad ibn Yaqub

Son of al-Hasan. Assassinated by his vizier.

1366 - 1372

Abu Faris Abd al-Aziz ibn Ali

Son of al-Hasan. Died through illness.

1372

Muhammad as-Said

Young son. Died without gaining the throne in 1373.

1372 - 1384

Abu al-Abbas Ahmad

Supported by Nasrids of Granada. d.1393.

1374

Following the instability caused by the death of Abu Faris Abd and his young son, the Merinid empire is partitioned in two: based at Fez (the Merinids) and Marrakech (a splinter state).

1384 - 1386

Abu Faris Musa ibn Faris

Interim replacement made by Nasrids of Granada.

1384 - 1387

Abu Zayd Abd ar-Rahman

Reigned at Marrakech.

1386 - 1387

Al-Wathiq

Interim replacement made by Nasrids of Granada.

1387 - 1393

Abu al-Abbas Ahmad

Restored to overall control.

1393 - 1396

Abu Faris Abd al-Aziz ibn Ahmad

1396 - 1398

Abu Amir Abdallah

1398 - 1420

Abu Said Uthman ibn Ahmad

Brother.

1399

Benefiting from the anarchy within the Merinid kingdom, Henry III of Castile invades Morocco, seizes Tetouan, massacres half of the population and reduces it to slavery.

1415

King John I of Portugal seizes Ceuta, marking the beginning of European expansion into Africa.

1420 - 1465

Abu Muhammad Abd al-Haqq

Son. Acceded aged one. Throat cut during popular revolt.

1437

Edward of Portugal, supported by his brothers, Henry and Fernando, attacks Tangiers with a view to improving his trade and exploration base in North Africa. The attack succeeds but at a cost. Fernando is captured and dies in prison and Edward himself dies of plague the following year.

1458 - 1471

It is a troubled period in the sultanate. The king of Portugal decides to expand his interests along the coastal section of Morocco, so his forces start with the conquest of Alcacer Ceguer in 1458. At the same time there is unrest inside Morocco, demonstrated the following year when Abu Muhammad Abd revolts against his own Wattasid viziers. Only two Wattasid brothers survive and it is they who become the first Watassids sultans in 1472. Before this can happen, Tangiers is conquered by the Portuguese in 1460 and is won and lost on multiple occasions up until 1464, and Henry IV of Castile takes Gibraltar in 1462.

1465 - 1472

The sultan is murdered in Fes in 1465, and Tangiers is secured by the Portuguese as they benefit from the chaos. while they also seize Arzila in 1471. Central control of the country is compromised until the former Wattasid viziers succeed in taking over in 1472.

Wattasid Dynasty / Banu Wattas
AD 1472 - 1554

Like the Merinids, the Wattasids had their origins in the Berber Zenatas. The two families were related, and the Merinids had recruited many viziers from the Wattasids. These viziers seized power in 1465.

The Wattasid sultans only controlled northern Morocco, the south being dominated by the Saadi dynasty, who eventually replaced them. The period from 1465 to 1472 was unstable, and the last of the Moroccan possessions in Al Andalus were lost. Ceuta had already been lost to Portugal, and the Spanish and Portuguese campaigned constantly in Morocco. Nevertheless, good commercial relations were maintained with the Iberians.

1472 - 1504

Abu Abdallah sheikh Muhammad ibn Yahya

One of the two survivors from the 1459 massacre.

1504 - 1526

Abu Abd Allah al-Burtuqali Mhmd ibn Muhammad

1526

Abu al-Hasan Abu Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad

1526 - 1545

Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad

1545 - 1547

Nasir ad-Din al-Qasri Muhammad ibn Ahmad

1547 - 1549

Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad

1554

Abu al-Hasan Abu Hasun Ali ibn Muhammad

Saadi Dynasty / Saadite / Bani Zaydan
AD (1509) 1554 - 1659

The Moroccan Saadis began with the reign of Sultan Mohammed ash-Sheikh in 1554. From 1509 to 1554 they had ruled only in the south of Morocco. Saadian rule ended in 1659 with the reign of Sultan Ahmad el Abbas.

Before they conquered Marrakech, Taroudant was their capital city. Two of their most important achievements were ousting the Portuguese from Morocco and defending the country against the Ottomans.

1509 - 1517

Abu Abdallah al-Qaim

Ruled southern Morocco.

1517 - 1544

Ahmad al-Araj

Ruled southern Morocco.

1544 - 1557

Mohammed ash-Sheikh

Ruled all of Morocco after 1554.

1554

The Saadis takes over the north, removing the Wattasids from power.

1557 - 1574

Abdallah al-Ghalib

1574 - 1576

Abu Abdallah Mohammed II

1576 - 1578

Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik I

1578

The young king of Portugal, Sebastian, dies at the Battle of Alcacer-Quibir in Morocco.

1578 - 1603

Ahmad I al-Mansur

1578 - 1603

Ahmad I is the most famous of the Saadis. A contemporary of Elizabeth I of England, he is responsible for building the El Badi Palace in Marrakech.

1591 - 1670

An invasion of the Songhai empire to the south hastens its decline. Morocco rules Mali.

1603 - 1608

Abou Fares Abdallah

Lost part of Morocco to the Saadis in Fes.

1603 - 1627

The main Saadi rulers of Morocco are based in Marrakesh, but a splinter faction governs a limited territory from Fes with only local power during the reign of Zidan Abu Maali. At the same time, the Alawi begin to increase their power in southern Morocco.

1603 - 1627

Zidan Abu Maali

Ruled Morocco except Fes.

1604 - 1613

Mohammed esh Sheikh el Mamun

Ruled Fes.

1613 - 1623

Abdallah II

Ruled Fes.

1623 - 1627

Abd el Malek

Ruled Fes.

1627 - 1631

Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik II

1631 - 1636

Al Walid ben Zidan

1636 - 1655

Mohammed esh Sheikh es Seghir

1655 - 1659

Ahmad el Abbas

1659

The last Saadi sultan is overthrown when Marrakech is conquered by the Alawi.

Alawi / Alaouite Dynasty
AD 1666 - Present Day

The Alawi were natives of southern Morocco. Until 1666 they only ruled in Tafilalt and some parts of southern Morocco.

1631 - 1635

Muhammad I

Ruled Tafilalt.

1635 - 1664

Muhammad II

Son. Ruled Tafilalt.

1666 - 1672

Al-Rashid

Half-brother. Proclaimed sultan of Morocco 22.10.1664.

1670

The Alawi retreat from Mali.

1672

Muhammad I

1672 - 1684

Al-Harrani, Abu'l Abbas Ahmad I

1672 - 1684

Ismail

Joint ruler.

1684 - 1727

Mawlay Ismail Ibn Sharif

1727 - 1728

Abu'l Abbas Ahmad II

1728

Abdalmalik

1728 - 1729

Abu'l Abbas Ahmad II

Restored.

1729 - 1735

Abdallah

1735 - 1736

Ali

1736

Abdallah

Restored.

1736 - 1738

Mohammed II

1738 - 1740

Al-Mostadi

1740 - 1745

Abdallah III

1745

Zin al-Abidin

1745 - 1757

Abdallah IV

1757 - 1790

Mohammed ben Abdallah

1790 - 1792

Yazid

1792 - 1822

Slimane of Morocco

1822 - 1859

Abderrahmane

1859 - 1860

The Spanish-Moroccan War, or African War, begins with a disagreement over the Spanish-controlled coastal city of Ceuta. The Moroccan forces accept defeat after the Battle of Tetuan.

1859 - 1873

Mohammed IV

1873 - 1894

Hassan I

1894 - 1908

Abdelaziz / Abdul Aziz

1908 - 1912

Abdelhafid / Abdul Hafid

Rival sultan.

1912

Under the terms of the Treaty of Fez, Morocco becomes a French Protectorate, with a small protectorate of northern territories near the Straits of Gibraltar remaining under Spanish control.

1912 - 1927

Yusef

1927 - 1961

Mohammed V

Deposed and exiled to Madagascar 1953-1955.

1953 - 1955

Mohammed Ben Aarafa

French puppet king.

1955 - 1961

Mohammed V

Restored. First king of Morocco in 1957.

1956

Morocco gains independence from France and Spain. The following year, Sultan Mohammed drops his traditional title in favour of calling himself king of Morocco. Mohammed also captures Spanish Sahara during the Ifni War (which is known as the Forgotten War in Spain).

1961 - 1999

Hassan II

Died July.

1963

The Sand War is fought against Algeria when Morocco claims portions of western Algerian territory.

1999 - Present

Mohammed VI Ben Hassan

Son.