Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad (), also Sultan Ahmad, or Ahmed el Outassi, was a Sultan of the Moroccan

Wattasid dynasty The Wattasid dynasty ( ber, Iweṭṭasen; ar, الوطاسيون, ''al-waṭṭāsīyūn'') was a ruling dynasty of Morocco. Like the Marinid dynasty, its rulers were of Zenata Berber descent. The two families were related, and the Marinids r ...

. He ruled from 1526 to 1545, and again between 1547 and 1549.C. E. Bosworth
''The New Islamic Dynasties: A Chronological and Genealogical Manual''
Edinburgh University Press (2004), pp. 48–49

Life

In 1532, Ahmad ibn Muhammad sent a letter to

Francis I of France Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once ...

through trader Hémon de Molon, encouraging the French king to develop trade relations."THE EMBASSY OF PIERRE DE PITON: In the year 1533, the year of Montaigne's birth, a French merchant, from Bresse, Hemon de Molon, returned from Morocco, filled with such enthusiasm that Francis I decided to find out more" in ''Ecrits de Paris: revue de questions actuelles'' Centre d'études des questions actuelles, politiques, économiques et sociales (Paris, France) - 1953 (in English) In 1533,

sent as ambassador to Ahmad ibn Muhammad, in the person of colonel Pierre de Piton. The embassy was made up of five gentlemen and the pseudo-merchant Aymond de Molon were part of the expedition: the embassy carried watches, mirrors, combs and other "merceryes" with some falconry items; everything was to be offered to Ahmed ibn Muhammad, the King of Fez, and to his vizier and brother-in-law Moulay Ibrahim ben

Ali ibn Rashid al-Alami Abu al-Hassan Ali ibn Moussa ibn Rashid al-Alami (), also known as Sherif Moulay Ali Ben Rachid, was the founder of the city of Chefchaouen, Morocco. He was an Idrisid and descendant of Sufi saint Abd as-Salam ibn Mashish al-Alami.Al-Huwwat, Sulaym ...

. The embassy landed at

Larache Larache ( ar, العرايش, al-'Araysh) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast, where the Loukkos River meets the Atlantic Ocean. Larache is one of the most important cities of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region. Many ...

and was conducted to the king's mahalla, which was in the vicinity; the ambassador handed over the presents, which were little tasted, then he accompanied the king to

Fez Fez most often refers to: * Fez (hat), a type of felt hat commonly worn in the Ottoman Empire * Fez, Morocco (or Fes), the second largest city of Morocco Fez or FEZ may also refer to: Media * ''Fez'' (Frank Stella), a 1964 painting by the moder ...

, staying a month there. Following this embassy, in a letter to Francis I dated August 13, 1533, Ahmad ibn Muhammad welcomed French overtures and granted freedom of shipping and protection of French traders.''Travels in Morocco, Volume 2'' James Richardson p.32
/ref> His foreign policy being to counter the fast-growing powers of Spain and Portugal who keep holding fortress enclaves on Moroccan soil. In 1545, Sultan Ahmad was taken prisoner by his southern rivals the

Saadians The Saadi Sultanate (also rendered in English as Sa'di, Sa'did, Sa'dian, or Saadian; ar, السعديون, translit=as-saʿdiyyūn) was a state which ruled present-day Morocco and parts of West Africa in the 16th and 17th centuries. It was l ...

.''A history of the Maghrib in the Islamic period'' by Jamil M. Abun-Nasr p.155''ff''
/ref> His successor,

Ali Abu Hassun Ali Abu Hassun (), also Abu al Hasan Abu Hasun or Abu Hasun, full name Abu al-Hasan Abu Hasun Ali ibn Muhammad (died September 1554), was a Regent of the Crown of Morocco for the Wattasid dynasty, during the 16th century. Life In 1545, he succ ...

, regent for Ahmad's young son

Nasir al-Qasiri Nasir ad-Din al-Qasri Muhammad ibn Ahmad (), also Nasir al-Qasiri, was the young son of the Sultan of Fez, Sultan Ahmad. Life In 1545, his father Sultan Ahmad was taken prisoner by his southern rivals the Saadians. His successor, Ali Abu Hassu ...

, decided to pledge allegiance to the Ottomans in order to obtain their support. France actually started to send ships to Morocco in 1555, under the rule of Henry II, son of

Francis I Francis I or Francis the First may refer to: * Francesco I Gonzaga (1366–1407) * Francis I, Duke of Brittany (1414–1450), reigned 1442–1450 * Francis I of France (1494–1547), King of France, reigned 1515–1547 * Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lau ...

. He married

Sayyida al Hurra Sayyida al Hurra (), real name Lalla Aicha bint Ali ibn Rashid al-Alami () (1485 – 14 July 1561), was Hakimat Titwan (Governor of Tétouan) between 1515–1542 and a Moroccan privateer leader during the early 16th century. She became the wife ...

Notes

{{Rulers of Morocco 1549 deaths Sultans of Morocco 16th-century monarchs in Africa Year of birth unknown Wattasid dynasty 16th-century Berber people Berber rulers