Alawi dynasty

The Alawi dynasty () – also rendered in English as Alaouite, Alawid, Their ancestors originally migrated to the Tafilalt region, in present-day Morocco, from Yanbu on the coast of the Hejaz in the 12th or 13th century.

The dynasty rose to power in the 17th century, beginning with Mawlay al-Sharif who was declared sultan of the Tafilalt in 1631. His son Al-Rashid, ruling from 1664 to 1672, was able to unite and pacify the country after a long period of regional divisions caused by the weakening of the Saadi Sultanate, establishing the Alawi Sultanate that succeeded it. His brother Isma'il presided over a period of strong central rule between 1672 and 1727, one of the longest reigns of any Moroccan sultan. After Isma'il's death, the country was plunged into disarray as his sons fought over his succession, but order was re-established under the long reign of Muhammad ibn Abdallah in the second half of the 18th century. The 19th century was marked by the growing influence of European powers.

The 'Alawis ruled as sovereign sultans up until 1912, when the French protectorate and Spanish protectorate were imposed on Morocco. They were retained as symbolic sultans under colonial rule. When the country regained its independence in 1956, Mohammed V, who had supported the nationalist cause, resumed the 'Alawi role as independent head of state. Shortly afterwards, in 1957, he adopted the title of "King" instead of "Sultan". His successors, Hassan II and Mohammed VI (the current reigning monarch), have continued the dynasty's rule under the same title. Today, the Moroccan government is officially a constitutional monarchy, but the king retains strong authoritarian power over the state and public affairs, despite some political reforms in recent decades.

Name and etymology

The dynasty claims descent from Muhammad via Hasan ibn Ali. The name Alawi () stems either from the name of Ali, from which the dynasty ultimately traces its descent, or from the name of the dynasty's early founder, Sharif ibn Ali of the Tafilalt region.

Origins

The 'Alawis were a family of sharifian religious notables (or shurafa) who claimed descent from Muhammad via his grandson Hasan, the son of Ali and of Muhammad's daughter Fatimah.

Little is known of 'Alawi history prior to the 17th century. By the 17th century, however, they had evidently become the main leaders of the Tafilalt.

Mawlay Sharif died in 1659, and Sidi Mohammed was once again proclaimed sovereign. This provoked a succession clash between Sidi Mohammed and one of his younger half-brothers, Al-Rashid. Details of this conflict are lengthy, but ultimately Al-Rashid appears to have fled Sijilmasa in fear of his brother. He eventually managed to secure an alliance with the Banu Ma'qil Arab tribes who had previously supported his brother and also with the Ait Yaznasin (Beni Snassen), a Zenata Amazigh tribe. These groups recognized him as sultan in 1664, while around the same time Sidi Mohammed made a new base for himself as far west as Azrou. The power of the Dala'iyya was in decline, and both brothers sought to take advantage of this, but both stood in each other's way. When Sidi Mohammed attacked Angad to force his rebellious brother's submission on August 2, 1664, he was instead unexpectedly killed and his armies defeated. He made it his capital. He defeated the remnants of the Dala'iyya and destroyed their capital in the Middle Atlas in June 1668. In July, he captured Marrakesh.

After Mawlay Isma'il

After Mawlay Isma'il's death, Morocco was plunged into one of its greatest periods of turmoil between 1727 and 1757, with Isma'il's sons fighting for control of the sultanate and never holding onto power for long. Sidi Mohammed ibn Abdallah maintained the peace in part through a relatively more decentralized regime and lighter taxes, relying instead on greater trade with Europe to make up the revenues. The last Portuguese outpost on the Moroccan coast, Mazagan (al-Jadida today), was taken by Morocco in 1729, leaving only the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla as the remaining European outposts in North West Africa. He was interested in scholarly pursuits and also cultivated a productive relationship with the ulama, or Muslim religious scholars, who supported some of his initiatives and reforms. Abdelhafid was aided by Madani el-Glaoui, older brother of T'hami El Glaoui, one of the qaids of the Atlas Mountains. He was assisted in the training of his troops by Andrew Belton, a British officer and veteran of the Second Boer War. For a brief period, Abdelaziz reigned from Rabat while Abdelhafid reigned in Marrakesh and Fez and a conflict known as the Hafidiya (1907–1908) ensued. In 1908 Abdelaziz was defeated in battle. In 1909, Abdelhafid became the recognized leader of Morocco. which made Morocco a French protectorate. He signed his abdication only when on the quay in Rabat, with the ship that would take him to France already waiting. When news of the treaty finally leaked to the Moroccan populace, it was met with immediate and violent backlash in the Intifada of Fez. His brother Youssef was proclaimed Sultan by the French administration several months later (13 August 1912). At the same time a large part of northern Morocco was placed under Spanish control.

Colonial rule, Mohammed V, and independence

Under colonial rule the institution of the sultan was formally preserved as part of a French policy of indirect rule, or at least the appearance of indirect rule. Under the French Protectorate, the 'Alawi sultans still had some prerogatives such as the power to sign or veto dahirs (decrees). In the Spanish zone, a Khalifa ("deputy") was appointed who acted as a representative of the sultan. In practice, however, the sultan was a puppet of the new regime and many parts of the population saw the dynasty as collaborators with the French. The French colonial administration was headed by the French resident-general, the first of whom was Hubert Lyautey, who enacted many of the policies that set the tone for France's colonial regime in Morocco.

Mawlay Youssef died unexpectedly in 1927 and his youngest son, Muhammad (Mohammed ben Youssef or Mohammed V), was acclaimed as the new sultan, at the age of 18. By the guidance of the French regime, he had spent most of his life growing up in relative isolation inside the royal palace in Meknes and Rabat. These restrictions on his interactions with the outside world continued in large part even after he ascended to the throne. However, over the course of his reign he became increasingly associated with the Moroccan nationalist movement, eventually becoming a strong symbol in the cause for independence. The nationalists, for their part, and in contrast with other anti-colonial movements like the Salafis, saw the sultan as a potentially useful tool in the struggle against French rule. with most of the territory under de facto Moroccan control while the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic controls the easternmost zones. During the 1990s Hassan II changed course in domestic politics and publicly promoted an agenda of reform. A new constitutional reform, approved by referendum, was enacted in 1993. Another amendment to the constitution was passed in 1996 to create a bi-cameral legislature, with the lower house elected directly by voters and an upper house chosen indirectly by regional assemblies and professional organizations. Another constitutional reform was passed by a referendum in 2011 in response to protests inside the country, in the wider context of the Arab Spring.

List of 'Alawi rulers

thumb|A family tree of the dynasty near the [[Hassan Tower in Rabat]]

thumb| The current head of the Alawi dynasty, [[Mohammed VI of Morocco|King Mohammed VI, pictured behind a family tree of the dynasty at the Dar al-Makhzen in 2022]]

Sultans of the Tafilalt and early expansion:

Sharif ibn Ali (1631–1635)
Muhammad ibn Sharif (1635–1664)
Al-Rashid (1664–1668)

After capture of Marrakesh in 1668, Sultans of Morocco:

Al-Rashid (1668–1672)
Mawlay Ismail Ibn Sharif (1672–1727)
Abu'l Abbas Ahmad II (1727–1728) (first time)
Abdalmalik (1728)
Abu'l Abbas Ahmad II (1728–1729) (second time)
Abdallah (1729–1734) (first time)
Ali (1734–1736)
Abdallah (1736) (second time)
Mohammed II (1736–1738)
Al-Mustadi (1738–1740) (first time)
Abdallah (1740–1741) (third time)
Zin al-Abidin (1741)
Abdallah (1741–1742) (fourth time)
Al-Mustadi (1742–1743) (second time)
Abdallah (1743–1747) (fifth time)
Al-Mustadi (1747–1748) (third time)
Abdallah (1748–1757) (sixth time)
Mohammed III (1757–1790)
Yazid (1790–1792)
Mulay Suleiman (1792–1822)
Abd al-Rahman (1822–1859)
Mohammed IV (1859–1873)
Hassan I (1873–1894)
Abdelaziz (1894–1908)
Abd al-Hafid (1908–1912)

Under the French protectorate (1912–1956):

Yusef (1912–1927)
Sultan Mohammed V (1927–1961), changed title of ruler from Sultan to King in 1957. Deposed and exiled to Corsica and Madagascar (1953–1955).
Mohammed Ben Aarafa, installed by France (1953–1955)

From Independence (1955 onwards):

King Mohammed V (1955–1961)
King Hassan II (1961–1999)
King Mohammed VI (1999–present)

Timeline

Family tree

References

External links

Morocco Alaoui dynasty