''Sidi'' Mohammed ben Abdallah ''al-Khatib'' ( ar, سيدي محمد بن عبد الله الخطيب), known as Mohammed III ( ar, محمد الثالث), born in 1710 in
Fes
Fez or Fes (; ar, فاس, fās; zgh, ⴼⵉⵣⴰⵣ, fizaz; french: Fès) is a city in northern inland Morocco and the capital of the Fès-Meknès administrative region. It is the second largest city in Morocco, with a population of 1.11 mi ...
and died on 9 April 1790 in
Meknes
Meknes ( ar, مكناس, maknās, ; ber, ⴰⵎⴽⵏⴰⵙ, amknas; french: Meknès) is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco, located in northern central Morocco and the sixth largest city by population in the kingdom. Founded in the 11th c ...
, was the
Sultan
Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
of
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
from 1757 to 1790 as a member of the
'Alawi dynasty. He was the governor of
Marrakesh
Marrakesh or Marrakech ( or ; ar, مراكش, murrākuš, ; ber, ⵎⵕⵕⴰⴽⵛ, translit=mṛṛakc}) is the fourth largest city in the Kingdom of Morocco. It is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco and is the capital of the Marrakes ...
around 1750. He was also briefly sultan in 1748. He rebuilt many cities after the
earthquake of 1755
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, impacted Portugal, the Iberian Peninsula, and Northwest Africa on the morning of Saturday, 1 November, Feast of All Saints, at around 09:40 local time. In combination with ...
, including
Mogador
Essaouira ( ; ar, الصويرة, aṣ-Ṣawīra; shi, ⵜⴰⵚⵚⵓⵔⵜ, Taṣṣort, formerly ''Amegdul''), known until the 1960s as Mogador, is a port city in the western Morocco, Moroccan region of Marrakesh-Safi, Marakesh-Safi, on the ...
,
Casablanca
Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
, and
Rabat
Rabat (, also , ; ar, الرِّبَاط, er-Ribât; ber, ⵕⵕⴱⴰⵟ, ṛṛbaṭ) is the capital city of Morocco and the country's seventh largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan populati ...
, and
Abdallah Laroui
Abdallah Laroui ( ar, عبدالله العروي; born 7 November 1933) is a Moroccan philosopher, historian, and novelist. Besides some works in French, his philosophical project has been written mostly in Arabic. He is among the most read and ...
described him as "the architect of modern Morocco."
He also defeated the French in the
Larache expedition
The Expedition of Larache occurred in June 1765 when French Navy troops attempted to invade the Moroccan city of Larache following a bombardment of Salé and Rabat. It is an example of the sporadic failure of Western arms against local forces in co ...
in 1765 and expelled the Portuguese from Mazagan (
''al-Jadīda'') in 1769. He is notable for having been the leader of one of the first nations to recognize
American independence
The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...
in his alliance with
Luis de Unzaga
Luis de Unzaga y Amézaga (1717–1793), also known as Louis Unzaga y Amezéga le Conciliateur, Luigi de Unzaga Panizza and Lewis de Onzaga, was governor of Spanish Louisiana from late 1769 to mid-1777, as well as a Captain General of Venezuela ...
'le Conciliateur' through correspondence and Unzaga's secret intelligence service and led by his brothers-in-law Antonio and
Matías de Gálvez Matías is the Spanish version of Matthias. In Scandinavian languages (Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and Finnish) and in Portuguese it is unaccented as Matias.
Notable people with the name include:
Given name
*Matías Alemanno, Argentine rugby pl ...
from the Canary Islands. He was the son of Mawlay
Abdallah bin Ismail and his wife a lady of the Cheraga tribe.
Rule
Early reign
Upon the accession of Sidi Mohammed, peace and stability were restored. Aware of the disastrous
'Abid al-Bukhari, he restored the significance of the
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
guich
''Guich'' tribes, ''Gish'' tribes, or ''Jaysh'' tribes ( jaysh, literally "Army"), or sometimes ''Makhzen'' tribes, were tribes of Arab origin organized by the sultans of Moroccan dynasties to serve as troops and military garrisons, as well as t ...
. He also pacified the
Berber tribes of the mountains who attacked the plains during the succession crisis, while the power of the 'Abid declined as they abandoned their military positions.
Mashra' al-Raml, the former town built for the 'Abid, was pillaged and placed in ruins by the neighboring tribes.
Restoration of authority
In 1760, Sidi Mohammed witnessed a revolt by the Wadaya against his authority, who had supported his father. Sidi Mohammed then marched with an army to
Fes
Fez or Fes (; ar, فاس, fās; zgh, ⴼⵉⵣⴰⵣ, fizaz; french: Fès) is a city in northern inland Morocco and the capital of the Fès-Meknès administrative region. It is the second largest city in Morocco, with a population of 1.11 mi ...
where he defeated the Wadaya contingents and arrested their leaders. After this, the Wadaya were split up and were garrisoned in
Meknes
Meknes ( ar, مكناس, maknās, ; ber, ⴰⵎⴽⵏⴰⵙ, amknas; french: Meknès) is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco, located in northern central Morocco and the sixth largest city by population in the kingdom. Founded in the 11th c ...
instead. Later in 1775, he tried to distance the ''
'Abid al-Bukhari'' from power by ordering their transfer from
Meknes
Meknes ( ar, مكناس, maknās, ; ber, ⴰⵎⴽⵏⴰⵙ, amknas; french: Meknès) is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco, located in northern central Morocco and the sixth largest city by population in the kingdom. Founded in the 11th c ...
to
Tangier
Tangier ( ; ; ar, طنجة, Ṭanja) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. The town is the cap ...
in the north. The ''
'Abid'' resisted him and attempted to proclaim his son
Yazid as sultan, but the latter soon changed his mind and was reconciled with his father. After, Sidi Mohammed dispersed the ''
'Abid'' contingents to garrisons in
Tangier
Tangier ( ; ; ar, طنجة, Ṭanja) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. The town is the cap ...
,
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 ...
,
Rabat
Rabat (, also , ; ar, الرِّبَاط, er-Ribât; ber, ⵕⵕⴱⴰⵟ, ṛṛbaṭ) is the capital city of Morocco and the country's seventh largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan populati ...
,
Marrakesh
Marrakesh or Marrakech ( or ; ar, مراكش, murrākuš, ; ber, ⵎⵕⵕⴰⴽⵛ, translit=mṛṛakc}) is the fourth largest city in the Kingdom of Morocco. It is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco and is the capital of the Marrakes ...
and the
Sus, where they continued to cause trouble until 1782. These disturbances were compounded by
drought
A drought is defined as drier than normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D. Jiang, A. Khan, W. Pokam Mba, D. Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, an ...
and severe
famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including war, natural disasters, crop failure, Demographic trap, population imbalance, widespread poverty, an Financial crisis, economic catastrophe or government policies. Th ...
between 1776 and 1782 and an outbreak of plague between 1779 and 1780, which killed many Moroccans and forced the sultan to import wheat, reduce taxes, and distribute food and funds to locals and tribal leaders in order to alleviate the suffering. By now, however, the improved authority of the sultan allowed the central government to weather these difficulties and crises. He was interested in scholarly pursuits and also cultivated a productive relationship with the ''
ulama
In Islam, the ''ulama'' (; ar, علماء ', singular ', "scholar", literally "the learned ones", also spelled ''ulema''; feminine: ''alimah'' ingularand ''aalimath'' lural are the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious ...
'', or Muslim religious scholars, who supported some of his initiatives and reforms.
Construction
The present city of
''al-Ṣawīra'' was developed by Sidi Mohammed in 1769, with an estimated population of about 12,000. It was developed as the principal port for external trade to strengthen central authority to limit the intervention of Europeans.
Rabat
Rabat (, also , ; ar, الرِّبَاط, er-Ribât; ber, ⵕⵕⴱⴰⵟ, ṛṛbaṭ) is the capital city of Morocco and the country's seventh largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan populati ...
was also built to become an imperial city during Sidi Mohammed's reign, who built a palace and a mosque there.
The
Lisbon earthquake of 1755
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, impacted Portugal, the Iberian Peninsula, and Northwest Africa on the morning of Saturday, 1 November, Feast of All Saints, at around 09:40 local time. In combination with ...
which destroyed most of
Casablanca
Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
led to the Portuguese evacuating it. Sidi Mohammed rebuilt the town and renamed it ''
al-Dār al-Bayḍāʼ'' (الدار البيضاء).
Abdallah Laroui
Abdallah Laroui ( ar, عبدالله العروي; born 7 November 1933) is a Moroccan philosopher, historian, and novelist. Besides some works in French, his philosophical project has been written mostly in Arabic. He is among the most read and ...
described him as "the architect of modern Morocco".
Conflicts with the Europeans
On 25 June 1765, a French fleet of 16 warships and several vessels arrived in front of
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 ...
, however due to heavy seas and conditions, the attack was delayed until the next day. The next day, the French fleet bombarded Moroccan fortifications and batteries which could not retaliate. The bombardments continued throughout the next day, however by 28 June, several Moroccan vessels encircled the French fleet and inflicted heavy losses upon it, defeating the French expedition. The Moroccans only had casualties of 30 men, while the French had casualties of 200 killed, 49 captured, and 300 lost.
![Coins of Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah 1760 1767 minted in Essaouira](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Coins_of_Sidi_Mohammed_ben_Abdallah_1760_1767_minted_in_Essaouira.jpg)
In 1769, threatened by an invasion by Sidi Mohammed, the Portuguese governor of
Mazagan
El Jadida (, ; originally known in Berber as Maziɣen or Mazighen; known in Portuguese as Mazagão) is a major port city on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, located 96 km south of the city of Casablanca, in the province of El Jadida and the r ...
received orders from
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
to immediately evacuate the city. The city was renamed ''
al-Jadīda'' (الجديدة; "the new") soon after. The later sultan
Abd al-Rahman
Abd al-Rahman ( ar, عبد الرحمن, translit=ʿAbd al-Raḥmān or occasionally ; DMG ''ʿAbd ar-Raḥman''; also Abdul Rahman) is a male Arabic Muslim given name, and in modern usage, surname. It is built from the Arabic words '' Abd'', '' ...
(1822–1859) restored the city.
On 9 December 1774, Sidi Mohammed assembled an army of 30,000 to 40,000 men and powerful artillery and began a bombardment of
Melilla
Melilla ( , ; ; rif, Mřič ; ar, مليلية ) is an autonomous city of Spain located in north Africa. It lies on the eastern side of the Cape Three Forks, bordering Morocco and facing the Mediterranean Sea. It has an area of . It was par ...
. Spanish reinforcements disembarked in Melilla, and 117 new guns and mortars were installed. Part of the civilian population of Melilla was escorted on 16 December by a French ship which brought reinforcements from
Iberia
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...
. With
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
* Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
's promise of
subsidies
A subsidy or government incentive is a form of financial aid or support extended to an economic sector (business, or individual) generally with the aim of promoting economic and social policy. Although commonly extended from the government, the ter ...
, two Spanish squads blocked the Strait of Gibraltar to prevent any British support from aiding the Moroccan troops. In 1775, a British convoy carrying war material on the way to Melilla was intercepted and captured by the Spanish Navy. At the same time, the troops of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
began to encroach on Morocco's eastern borders. Spanish troops resisted the attack over a period of 100 days, over which time some 12,000 projectiles were lobbed onto the city.
Sherlock began to break the siege, a situation exacerbated by the desertion of Sidi Mohammed's
Algerine mercenaries. The siege ended on 19 March with the Spaniards suffering casualties of 600 killed or wounded. With the
Treaty of Aranjuez in 1780, Morocco recognised Spanish rule over Melilla, however Spain ceded territories to Morocco in return.
Relations with the United States
On 20 December 1777, Morocco became the first nation to recognize the
United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
as an independent nation.
On the same day, the Dutch consol in
Salé
Salé ( ar, سلا, salā, ; ber, ⵙⵍⴰ, sla) is a city in northwestern Morocco, on the right bank of the Bou Regreg river, opposite the national capital Rabat, for which it serves as a commuter town. Founded in about 1030 by the Banu Ifran ...
was instructed by the Sidi Mohammed to write letters on his behalf to the European merchants and consuls in
Tangier
Tangier ( ; ; ar, طنجة, Ṭanja) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. The town is the cap ...
,
Salé
Salé ( ar, سلا, salā, ; ber, ⵙⵍⴰ, sla) is a city in northwestern Morocco, on the right bank of the Bou Regreg river, opposite the national capital Rabat, for which it serves as a commuter town. Founded in about 1030 by the Banu Ifran ...
,
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
al-Sawira, declaring that any vessel sailing under the American flag can freely enter Moroccan ports.
Due to the continued delays of the American government in negotiating a treaty with Morocco, Sidi Mohammed issued an order to seize an American ship, and on 11 October 1784, the Moroccans captured the
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
merchant ship
Betsey after it left
Cádiz
Cádiz (, , ) is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the Province of Cádiz, one of eight that make up the autonomous community of Andalusia.
Cádiz, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, ...
on its way back to the United States.
The ship and crew was captured and taken hostage to
Tangier
Tangier ( ; ; ar, طنجة, Ṭanja) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. The town is the cap ...
. Shortly after, the sultan announced that he did not confiscate the ship nor cargo, and that the ship, the cargo, and the men would be released once a treaty was concluded with the United States. The seizure of the ship led to the Americans having to take action and preparing for negotiations with Morocco.
The
Moroccan–American Treaty of Friendship
In December 1777, the Moroccan Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah, Mohammed III included the United States in a list of countries to which Morocco's ports were open. Morocco thus became the first country whose head of state publicly recognized the ne ...
, also known as the Treaty of Marrakesh, was signed on 28 June 1786. It was the first treaty signed between the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
and any
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
,
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
, or
African
African or Africans may refer to:
* Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa:
** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa
*** Ethn ...
country.
It was signed first by American diplomat
Thomas Barclay and the sultan, then by Jefferson and Adams, and was ratified by the
Congress of the Confederation in July 1787. The treaty has withstood transatlantic stresses and strains for more than 234 years, making it the longest unbroken treaty relationship in the
history of the United States
The history of the lands that became the United States began with the arrival of Settlement of the Americas, the first people in the Americas around 15,000 BC. Native American cultures in the United States, Numerous indigenous cultures formed ...
.
Marriages, concubines and children
Sidi Mohammed was polygamous and had a harem of slave concubines. His sons by marriage and by harem slave concubines ruled after him. His wedded wives were:
* Princess
Lalla Fatima bint Suleiman
Lalla Fatima bint Suleiman (), was one of the wives of Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah (r. 1757–1790), and the mother of Sultan Moulay Hisham (r. 1792 – 1797).
Life
Princess Lalla Fatima was born to Moulay Suleiman, who is either a son of Mo ...
, their wedding date is unknown, but they were married when he was still a prince. She was his cousin, and her father, Moulay Suleiman, is either a son of
Moulay Ismail
Moulay Ismail Ibn Sharif ( ar, مولاي إسماعيل بن الشريف), born around 1645 in Sijilmassa and died on 22 March 1727 at Meknes, was a Sultan of Morocco from 1672–1727, as the second ruler of the Alaouite dynasty. He was the se ...
or a son of
Moulay Rachid.
Lalla Fatima was Sidi Mohammed's chief wedded wife, contemporary sources referred to her as ''Mulat Ud'Dar'' (The Lady of the House), she was held in high esteem by the people.
Her children were Moulay Mohammed Ali the eldest of Sidi Mohammed's sons,
Moulay Abdelmalik, Moulay El Mamoun
(a.k.a. Maimun),
Moulay Hisham - he was the father of
Sultan Moulay Abd al-Rahman, Lalla Sofia, Lalla Lubabah - she married
Sharif Surur in 1768, Lalla Sitt'al'Mulk and Moulay Abdeselam.
* Lalla Dawiya, born
Marthe Franceschini, she was Scorcian or Geonese
and former harem slave concubine of Sidi Mohammed whom he ended up marrying. Accounts differ about her narrative, some state that aged 7 when her family was freed by the Bey of Tunis, on their way home they were captured by Moroccans and re-sold to slavery. They entered the services of Sidi Mohammed and her family ended up being freed but she was kept as a slave concubine because she caught his attention. Another account state that with her mother, aboard a ship from
Genoa
Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the List of cities in Italy, sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian ce ...
to
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
they shipwrecked on the cost of Morocco,
they were kept the Sultan's captives and some induced Sidi Mohammed to order her to be forcibly taken from her mother.
Despite her only being 8 years old she was kept as his slave concubine.
In 1789 Lampriere records that she was Sidi Mohammed's favorite wife.
Her son was Moulay Ibrahim.
His other wives' full names are not recorded, only partially their family name by indicating from which tribe they hailed from. Sidi Mohammed's other wedded wives were:
* A Howariya lady of the Howara from the Sais, their wedding date in unknown. Her son was Moulay Abdelrahman.
* A lady of the Ahlaf tribe, their wedding date is unknown. Her sons were Moulay Hassan and Moulay Omar.
* A lady of the Elfeth family of Rabat, their wedding date is unknown. Her son was Moulay Abdelwahed.
* Another lady of the Ahlaf tribe, their wedding date is unknown. Her sons were
Sultan Moulay Sulayman, Moulay Ettayeb and Moulay Moussa.
* A third lady of the Ahlaf tribe, their wedding date is unknown. Her sons were another Moulay Hassan and Moulay Abdelqader.
* A lady of the Beni Hsen tribe, their wedding date is unknown. Her son was Moulay Abdallah.
Sultan Sidi Mohammed III had a harem of slave concubines, the ones recorded were:
*
Elizabeth Marsh, she was an English slave captive who in 1756 was sold to his harem in the first years of his reign. She reportedly disliked him a lot and made her behavior dislikable to him so that it would fade his interest in her and make him free her. In the end Sidi Mohammed grudgingly granted her freedom and permission to leave the country.
* A Spanish slave captive, possibly renamed Lalla Sargetta she was the favorite of Sidi Mohammed. Her sons were
Sultan Moulay Yazid and Moulay Moslama.
*
Helen Gloag
Helen Gloag (1750–1790) of Muthill, Perthshire, Scotland, became an influential favourite slave consort of Mohammed ben Abdallah the Sultan of Morocco, and as such has been famously referred to in Scottish history as the "Empress of Morocco".
...
, the accounts of her biography and the fact that she ever set foot on Moroccan soil is doubted upon.
However, her narrative was that she was a Scottish slave captive who in 1769
was bought in
Algiers
Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques ...
by a wealthy Moroccan who wanted to gift her to the Sultan to gain his favor.
As his harem slave concubine she immediately caught Sidi Mohammed's attention
and became his favorite.
Sources even stipulate he ended up marrying her.
They had two sons, who were assassinated by
Moulay Yazid upon his ascension.
But despite her narrative some doubt she really ever resided in Morocco as Dr Lempriere who was given permission to visit Sidi Mohammed's harem in 1789 recounted no presence of a Scottish slave concubine or wife named Helen.
Death
Mohammed bin Abdallah died on 9 April 1790 in
Meknes
Meknes ( ar, مكناس, maknās, ; ber, ⴰⵎⴽⵏⴰⵙ, amknas; french: Meknès) is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco, located in northern central Morocco and the sixth largest city by population in the kingdom. Founded in the 11th c ...
, and was buried in the
Dar al-Makhzen of
Rabat
Rabat (, also , ; ar, الرِّبَاط, er-Ribât; ber, ⵕⵕⴱⴰⵟ, ṛṛbaṭ) is the capital city of Morocco and the country's seventh largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan populati ...
. He was succeeded by his son
Yazid, who
besieged Ceuta from 1790 to 1791. Yazid eventually died in 1792 and was succeeded by his brother
Sulayman.
See also
*
Mohammed al-Duayf
*
List of sultans of Morocco
*
History of Morocco
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
*
Moroccan–American Treaty of Friendship
In December 1777, the Moroccan Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah, Mohammed III included the United States in a list of countries to which Morocco's ports were open. Morocco thus became the first country whose head of state publicly recognized the ne ...
Notes
References
Morocco Alaoui dynasty
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mohammed Ben Abdallah
'Alawi dynasty
1710 births
1790 deaths
18th-century Arabs
Moroccan people of Arab descent
Sultans of Morocco
People from Fez, Morocco
People from Marrakesh
18th-century Moroccan people
18th-century monarchs in Africa
'Alawi dynasty monarchs
City founders
Slave owners