Alaouite dynasty

The Alaouite dynasty is Morocco’s ruling royal house, established in the seventeenth century. Its sultans and kings consolidated authority across Morocco and have ruled the country since.

Tafilalt: A region in southeastern Morocco centered on the oasis towns of Sijilmassa and Rissani. The dynasty’s founders built their power in this southeastern oasis region.
Makhzen: Morocco’s traditional system of royal government, administration, and political authority. Alaouite rule operated through this adaptable structure of central authority and local alliances.
Mohammed III of Morocco: The Alaouite sultan who ruled from 1757 to 1790 and developed Morocco’s Atlantic trade and diplomacy. His reign connected dynastic government to expanding diplomatic and commercial relations.
French protectorate in Morocco: The period from 1912 to 1956 when France controlled much of Morocco under a protectorate treaty. The Alaouite sultan remained on the throne while French authorities exercised colonial power.
Marinid dynasty: A Moroccan dynasty that ruled from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century, before the Saadis and Alaouites. It offers an earlier comparison for dynastic government in Morocco.
Sharifian descent: A claimed lineage from the Prophet Muhammad, conferring religious prestige in Muslim societies. Alaouite rulers grounded their legitimacy in descent from Muhammad.
Guich: A Moroccan military land-tenure system in which tribes supplied soldiers in return for land or privileges. Sultans used guich arrangements to secure military service and strengthen royal control.
Hassan I of Morocco: The Alaouite sultan who ruled from 1873 to 1894 and sought to strengthen Morocco amid European pressure. His tours and reforms aimed to reinforce central authority across the sultanate.
Spanish protectorate in Morocco: The zone in northern and southern Morocco administered by Spain from 1912 until 1956. The dynasty’s authority persisted while Spain governed separate Moroccan territories.
Republicanism: A political system in which public authority derives from citizens or their representatives rather than hereditary monarchy. It contrasts with the hereditary succession at the center of Alaouite rule.

Linked from 9 pages