A History of Morocco
Poised at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, Morocco is a land defined by centuries of encounter and exchange. This sweeping history traces the nation's epic story, beginning with its indigenous Berber (Imazighen) inhabitants and their dramatic interactions with Phoenician traders, Roman legionaries, and Vandal invaders. It explores the most transformative event in the country's history: the 7th-century Arab conquest, which brought the language and faith of Islam, forging a unique Arab-Berber identity that would give rise to the first independent Moroccan state under the Idrisid dynasty and establish the great city of Fes as a center of learning and culture.
The narrative chronicles the rise and fall of the great Berber empires that mark Morocco's golden age. From the sun-scorched Sahara, the austere Almoravids emerged to forge a vast domain, only to be supplanted by the Almohads, who presided over the zenith of Moorish power, unifying North Africa and Muslim Spain in a single, formidable state. Subsequent dynasties, from the art-loving Marinids to the Saadians-who famously defeated a Portuguese king at the legendary Battle of the Three Kings-continued to shape the kingdom. This history delves into how Morocco, alone in the Arab world, successfully resisted conquest by the Ottoman Empire, cementing a fierce and enduring spirit of independence.
This long history of sovereignty was finally broken in the 20th century, as European powers established the French and Spanish protectorates. The book details this turbulent period, from the fierce armed resistance of the Rif War, led by the iconic Abd el-Krim, to the birth of a modern, urban nationalist movement. Central to this struggle is the Alaouite monarchy, which provided a crucial symbol of national unity. The dramatic story of Sultan Mohammed V-his defiance, his forced exile by the French, and his triumphant return-is charted as the pivotal moment that led to the restoration of independence in 1956.
The post-independence era is explored through the reigns of two starkly different monarchs. The long, complex rule of Hassan II is examined in all its facets, from the nation-building triumph of the Green March into the Western Sahara to the brutal repression of the "Years of Lead." The narrative then transitions to the 21st century and the reign of his son, King Mohammed VI, detailing a period of profound social and economic transformation. It covers the landmark reforms to women's rights, the public reckoning with past human rights abuses, the rise of political Islam, and the ambitious grand projects-from Africa's first high-speed train to massive solar power plants-that are reshaping the kingdom for a new millennium.
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