Politics Religion and State building (11th – 16th/19th centuries)

As seen from Europe, Morocco was perceived at the beginning of the 17th century as a strong, unified and prosperous state whom no neighbour would seriously consider tampering with. Yet, the Sous was controlled in part by the Zawiya of Illigh; some of the North-Western plains were in the hands of Marabout el-Ayachi^[1] ; the estuary of the Bou Regreg formed an autonomous entity run by Moriscos^[2] ;Tetouan was a city state governed by the Naqsis family; and the Tafilalt was controlled by the Alaouites. Weakened by numerous political and religious conflicts, this block would however no longer be threatened from without, barring an attempt mounted here and there by the Spaniards or the Ottoman. Saadian decadence can be ascribed to three distinct factors: the central power's weakness and infighting between pretenders ; the crisis of Moroccan economy resulting from contrary international circumstances ; the presence of local, centrifugal forces, essentially in the shape of the zawiyas. These hindrances increased during a period that saw the Mediterranean world experience a major mutation and go through a technical and economic transformation heralding the industrial age. During this long phase of its history, Morocco, isolated and riven with frequent internal troubles, remained peripheral whilst forces converging around the trade hubs combined to build up the as yet embryonic Alaouite power.

At the beginning of the century, Abu Mahalli^[3], mystic figure, revered fakih, great marabout from southern Morocco, also the Zawyia al-Qadi's military and political leader, claimed to be the Mahdi^[4] “sent by God” to lead the “Holy war” and reform the country. In March 1611, he seized the Tafilalt, thereby controlling the gold trail, before setting off to capture Marrakesh. His action echoed in many respect that of Ibn Tumart^[5], the founder of the Almohad/Muminid dynasty, to whom he incidentally referred in his writings. Arrived at the highest rung of power, Abu Mahalli got power-drunk : he awarded himself some attributes once reserved to the Caliph : He had his name mentioned in the khutba^[6] at Friday prayer at the mosque ; gold coins were also minted in his name ; a moral reform was imposed in order to reinvigorate religious life. However, in 1613, he was facing Sultan Mawlay Zidan^[7]'s riposte : with the support of Sous marabout Sidi Yahya, Zidan was in a position to undermine his religious credentials as well as defeat him militarily.