Alaouite dynasty
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{{History of Morocco}}
{{dablink|This article is about the current Moroccan royal family. For the former ruling dynasty of [[Egypt]] and [[Sudan]] founded by [[Muhammad Ali of Egypt|Muhammad Ali Pasha]] see [[Muhammad Ali Dynasty]].}}
The '''Alaouite Dynasty''' is the name of the current [[Morocco|Moroccan]] royal family. The name Alaouite comes from the ''ˤAlī'' of its founder [[Moulay Ali Cherif]] who became [[Sultan]] of [[Tafilalt]] in 1631. His son [[Al-Rashid of Morocco|Mulay r-Rshid]] ([[1664]]-[[1672]]) was able to unite and pacify the country. The Alaouite family claim descent from [[Muhammad]] through the line of [[Fatimah|Fāṭimah as-Zahrah]], Muhammad's daughter, and her husband, the Fourth [[Caliph]] [[Ali|ˤAlī ibn Abī Tālib]].
==Conquest==
According to some legends the Alaouites entered Morocco at the end of the [[13th Century]] when [[Al Hassan Addakhil]], who lived then in the town of [[Yanbu]] in the [[Hejaz]], was brought to Morocco by the inhabitants of [[Tafilalet]] to be their [[imam|imām]]. They were hoping that, as he was a [[Sharif|descendant of Muhammad]], his presence would help to improve their [[date palm]] crops thanks to his ''[[barakah]]'' "blessing", an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] term meaning a sense of divine presence or charisma. His descendants began to increase their power in southern Morocco after the death of the [[Saadi Dynasty|Saˤdī]] ruler [[Ahmad al-Mansur]] (1578-1603).
In 1659, the last Saˤdī sultan was overthrown in the conquest of [[Marrakech]] by [[Al-Rashid of Morocco|Mulay r-Rshid]] (1664-1672). After the victory over the [[zaouia|zāwiya]] of [[Dila (Morocco)|Dila]], who controlled northern Morocco, he was able to unite and pacify the country.
The organization of the kingdom developed under [[Ismail Ibn Sharif]] (1672-1727), who, against the opposition of local tribes began to create a unified state. Because the Alaouites, in contrast to previous dynasties, did not have the support of a single [[Berber people|Berber]] or [[Bedouin]] tribe, Isma'īl controlled Morocco through an army of black slaves. With these soldiers he drove the [[England|English]] from [[Tangiers]] (1684) and the [[Spain|Spanish]] from [[Larache]] (1689.) However, the unity of Morocco did not survive his death - in the ensuing power struggles the tribes became a political and military force once again.
Only with [[Mohammed III of Morocco|Muhammad III]] (1757-1790) could the kingdom be pacified again and the administration reorganized. A renewed attempt at centralization was abandoned and the tribes allowed to preserve their autonomy. Under [[Abderrahmane of Morocco|Abderrahmane]] (1822-1859) Morocco fell under the influence of the [[Europe]]an powers. When Morocco supported the [[Algeria]]n independence movement of the [[Emir]] [[Abd al-Qadir]], it was heavily defeated by the [[France|French]] in 1844 and made to abandon its support.
From [[Mohammed IV of Morocco|Muhammad IV]] (1859-1873) and [[Hassan I of Morocco|Hassan I]] (1873-1894) the Alaouites tried to foster trading links, above all with [[Europe]]an countries and the [[United States of America|United States]]. The army and administration were also modernised, to improve control over the Berber and Bedouin tribes. With the war against Spain (1859-1860) came direct involvement in European affairs - although the independence of Morocco was guaranteed in the [[Conference of Madrid]] (1880), the French gained ever greater influence. German attempts to counter this growing influence led to the [[First Moroccan Crisis]] of 1905-1906 and the [[Second Moroccan Crisis]] (1911.) Eventually the Moroccans were forced to recognise the French [[Protectorate]] through the [[Treaty of Fez]], signed on [[December 3]], 1912. At the same time the [[Rif]] area of northern [[Morocco]] submitted to [[Spain]].
Under the protectorate (1912-1956) the infrastructure was invested in heavily in order to link the cities of the [[Atlantic]] coast to the hinterland, thus creating a single economic area for Morocco. However the regime faced the opposition of the tribes - when the Berber were required to come under the jurisdiction of French courts in 1930 it marked the beginning of the independence movement. In 1944, the independence party [[Istiqlal Party|Istqlal]] was founded, supported by the Sultan [[Mohammed V of Morocco|Muhammad V]] (1927-1961). Although banned in 1953, France was obliged to grant Morocco independence on March 2, 1956, leaving behind them a legacy of urbanisation and the beginnings of an industrial economy.
==See also==
*[[List of rulers of Morocco]]
*[[History of Morocco]]
==Further reading==
*[[Waterbury, John]]. ''Commander of the Faithful''
==External links==
*[http://www.usa-morocco.org/alaoui.htm Morocco Alaoui dynasty]
*[http://www.mincom.gov.ma/english/generalities/history/history.html History of Morocco]
*[http://www.maroc-hebdo.press.ma/MHinternet/Archives_436/html_436/grandeur.html A brief History of the Alaouite Dynasty] ([[French language|French]]).
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{{s-royalhouse|House of Alaoui|||}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Saadi Dynasty]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Ruling house of [[Morocco]]|years=[[1666]] – present}}
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[[Category:Arab dynasties]]
[[Category:Alaouite dynasty|*]]
[[Category:Dynasties of Morocco]]
[[Category:Royal families]]
[[Category:House of Hashim]]
[[Category:Muslim dynasties]]
[[Category:1666 establishments]]
[[ar:علويون (الفيلاليون)]]
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