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History
of Morocco
Morocco is without a doubt, one of the best destinations in the
World. Its landscapes variety as no competitor and its strong
culture makes it unique, safe and will remain always in you top
travel list.
Kingdom of Morocco
(Al Mamlaka al-Maghrebiya)
Capital of the country: Rabat
Biggest city: Casablanca
Official language: Arabic
Government: Constitutional Monarchy
King Mohammed VI
Prime Minister Driss Jettou
Area 446,550 km˛ (56th biggest country in the world)
Population (2005 est.) 32,725,847 (36th most populated country in
the world)
GDP (PPP) $4,444 (110th)
Currency: Dirham (MAD;DH) 100 Dirhams about 10 Euros
Calling code +212
A bit of Moroccan History and Facts:
Timeline
* Idrisid dynasty (780-974)
* Maghrawa dynasty (987-1070)
* Almoravid dynasty (1073-1147)
* Almohad dynasty (1147-1269)
* Marinid dynasty (1258-1420)
* Wattasid dynasty (1420-1547)
* Saadi dynasty (1554-1659)
* Alaouite dynasty (1666 - current)
Roman and sub-Roman Morocco
The arrival of Phoenicians heralded many centuries of rule by
foreign powers for the north of Morocco, as this strategic region
formed part of the Roman Empire, governed as Mauretania Tingitana.
In the 5th century the region fell to the Vandals, Visigoths, and
then Byzantine Greeks in rapid succession. During this time,
however, the high mountains of most of modern Morocco remained
unsubdued, and stayed in the hands of their Berber inhabitants.
Early Islamic Morocco
Arabs conquered Morocco in the seventh century, bringing their
civilization and Islam, to which most of the Berbers converted,
forming states such as the Kingdom of Nekor. The country soon
broke away from the control of the distant Abbasid caliphs in
Baghdad under Idris ibn Salih who founded the Idrisid Dynasty.
Morocco became a centre of learning and a major power.
Morocco would reach its height under a series of Berber dynasties
that would replace the Arab Idrisids. First the Almoravids, then
the Almohads would see rule most of Northwest Africa, as well as
large sections of Spain. The smaller states of the region, such as
the Berghouata and Banu Isam, were conquered.The empire collapsed,
however, with a long running series of civil wars.
Morocco 1664-1912
Muhammad I , Sultan of Tafilalt [1631-1635]
Muhammad II , Sultan of Tafilalt [1635-1664]
Ar-Rashid [1664-1672] Proclaimed as Sultan of Morocco at Fez, 22nd
October 1664. Conquered and secured Marrakesh, 7th September 1668
The Alaouite Dynasty eventually gained control. Morocco was facing
aggression from Spain and the Ottoman Empire that was sweeping
westward. The Alaouites succeeded in stabilizing their position,
and while the kingdom was smaller than previous ones in the region
it remained quite wealthy.
In 1684 they anexed Tangier.
Morocco was the first nation to recognize the fledgling United
States as an independent nation in 1777. The Moroccan-American
Treaty of Friendship stands as the U.S.'s oldest non-broken
friendship treaty. Signed by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, it
has been in continuous effect since 1783. The United States
legation (consulate) in Tangier is the first property the American
government ever owned abroad. The building now houses the Tangier
American Legation Museum.
1769 conquest El Jadida to Portugal.
1895 buy Cape Juby to British Empire
European influence
The successful Portuguese efforts to control the Atlantic coast in
the 15th century did not affect the Mediterranean heart of
Morocco. After the Napoleonic Wars, Egypt and the North African
maghreb became increasingly ungovernable from Constantinople, the
resort of pirates under local beys, and as Europe industrialized,
an increasingly prized potential for colonization. The Maghreb had
far greater proven wealth than the unknown rest of Africa and a
location of strategic importance affecting the exit from the
Mediterranean. For the first time, Morocco became a state of some
import to the European Powers. France showed a strong interest in
Morocco as early as 1830. Recognition by the United Kingdom in
1904 of France's "sphere of influence" in Morocco provoked a
German reaction; the "crisis" of 1905-6 was resolved at the
Algeciras Conference (1906), which formalized France's "special
position" and entrusted policing of Morocco jointly to France and
Spain. A second "Moroccan crisis" provoked by Berlin, increased
European Great Power tensions, but the Treaty of Fez (signed on
March 30, 1912) made Morocco a protectorate of France. By the same
treaty, Spain assumed the role of protecting power over the
northern and southern (Ifnin) zones on November 27 that year.
France's exile of the highly respected Sultan Mohammed V in 1953
and his replacement by the unpopular Mohammed Ben Aarafa, whose
reign was perceived as illegitimate, sparked active opposition to
the French protectorate. France allowed Mohammed V to return in
1955, and the negotiations that led to Moroccan independence began
the following year.
Independence
The Kingdom of Morocco recovered its political independence from
France on March 2, 1956 and on April 7 of that year France
officially relinquished its protectorate in Morocco. Through
agreements with Spain in 1956 and 1958, Moroccan control over
certain Spanish-ruled areas was restored.
Thank you WikipediaŽ for On-line free information,
the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morocco
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