Hassan I of Morocco
Encyclopedia
Hassan I of Morocco (b. 1836 – d. 7 June 1894) was Sultan
of Morocco
from 1873 to 1894.
. Mulay Hassan was among the most successful sultans. He increased the power of the makhzen
in Morocco and at a time when so much of the rest of Africa was falling under foreign control, he brought in military and administrative reforms to strengthen the regime within its own territory, and he carried out an active military and diplomatic program on the periphery.
Particularly well known is the journey Hassan I undertook in 1893. He went from Fez
(leaving on 29 June) to Marrakech
, passing through the Tafilalt
, the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi
, the valley of the Dades
with the majestic gorges of the Todra, Ouarzazate
, the Kasbah of Aït Benhaddou
, the high passage along Telouet
, the Tichka pass (2260 m) in the high Atlas. The voyage took six months and succeeded in its objective of reuniting and pacifying the tribes of several regions. The Krupp cannon he gave on this occasion to the caid
of Telouet
(member of the now famous Glaoua family) is still on display in the center of Ouarzazate
. In 1881 he founded Tiznit
.
Hassan I appointed Mouha ou Hammou Zayani
as Caïd
of the Zayanes in Khénifra
in 1877. Mouha ou Hammou Zayani
was to be an important figure in the 20th century colonial war against France
. In 1887 he appointed sheikh Ma al-'Aynayn
as his caid
in Western Sahara
. Ma al-'Aynayn
too played an important role in the struggle for independence of Morocco
.
Moulay Hassan I died 7 June 1894 in Marrakech
, and is buried in Rabat
.
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
of Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
from 1873 to 1894.
Biography
He was a member of the Alaouite dynastyAlaouite Dynasty
The Alaouite Dynasty is the name of the current Moroccan royal family. The name Alaouite comes from the ‘Alī of its founder Moulay Ali Cherif who became Prince of Tafilalt in 1631. His son Mulay r-Rshid was able to unite and pacify the country...
. Mulay Hassan was among the most successful sultans. He increased the power of the makhzen
Makhzen
Makhzen is the governing elite in Morocco and in pre-1957 Tunisia, centered around the king and consisting of royal notables, businessmen, wealthy landowners, tribal leaders, top-ranking military personnel, security service bosses, and other well-connected members of the...
in Morocco and at a time when so much of the rest of Africa was falling under foreign control, he brought in military and administrative reforms to strengthen the regime within its own territory, and he carried out an active military and diplomatic program on the periphery.
Particularly well known is the journey Hassan I undertook in 1893. He went from Fez
Fes, Morocco
Fes or Fez is the second largest city of Morocco, after Casablanca, with a population of approximately 1 million . It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region....
(leaving on 29 June) to Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
, passing through the Tafilalt
Tafilalt
Tafilalt or Tafilet is a region and the most important oasis of the Moroccan Sahara; it is also considered one of the largest oases in the world, the oasis is entirely located along the Ziz River. The oasis is ten days' journey south of Fez, across the Atlas Mountains...
, the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi
Erg Chebbi
Erg Chebbi is one of Morocco's two Saharan ergs – large dunes formed by wind-blown sand –. The other is Erg Chigaga near M'hamid....
, the valley of the Dades
Dadès Gorges
Dadès Gorges, , is a gorge of the Dadès River and lies between the Atlas Mountains and Anti-Atlas mountain range, in Morocco, at .Berbers built many kasbahs in vicinity of gorges with defence purposes. These many kasbahs with combination of natural beauty contributes to high tourist attractivity...
with the majestic gorges of the Todra, Ouarzazate
Ouarzazate
-See also:* Tizi n'Tichka: The mountain pass that leads to Ouarzazate* List of Movies shot in Morocco-External links:* at IMDb...
, the Kasbah of Aït Benhaddou
Aït Benhaddou
Aït Benhaddou is a 'fortified city', or ksar, along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech in present-day Morocco. It is situated in Souss-Massa-Draâ on a hill along the Ounila River and has some beautiful examples of kasbahs, which unfortunately sustain damage during each...
, the high passage along Telouet
Telouet
Telouet is a Kasbah along the former route of the caravans from the Sahara over the Atlas Mountains to Marrakech. It lies at an elevation of and was the seat of the El Glaoui family's power. The palace can still be visited but it is steadily becoming more damaged and is slowly collapsing...
, the Tichka pass (2260 m) in the high Atlas. The voyage took six months and succeeded in its objective of reuniting and pacifying the tribes of several regions. The Krupp cannon he gave on this occasion to the caid
CAID
Caid may refer to:* Caid , a type of governorship found in North Africa and Moorish Spain* Caid , a form of football popular in Ireland until the mid-19th century...
of Telouet
Telouet
Telouet is a Kasbah along the former route of the caravans from the Sahara over the Atlas Mountains to Marrakech. It lies at an elevation of and was the seat of the El Glaoui family's power. The palace can still be visited but it is steadily becoming more damaged and is slowly collapsing...
(member of the now famous Glaoua family) is still on display in the center of Ouarzazate
Ouarzazate
-See also:* Tizi n'Tichka: The mountain pass that leads to Ouarzazate* List of Movies shot in Morocco-External links:* at IMDb...
. In 1881 he founded Tiznit
Tiznit
Tiznit or Tiznet is a town in the southern Moroccan economic region of Sous-Massa-Draa , founded in 1881 by the sultan Hassan I. It has a population of approximately 50,000. Tiznit is well-known for its silver jewelry, daggers and sabres....
.
Hassan I appointed Mouha ou Hammou Zayani
Mouha ou Hammou Zayani
Mouha Ou Hammou Zayani, by his full name: Mohammed ou Hammou ben Akka ben Ahmed, also known as Amahzoune ben Moussa , was made Caïd of the Zayanes in Khénifra by sultan Moulay Hassan I in 1886...
as Caïd
CAID
Caid may refer to:* Caid , a type of governorship found in North Africa and Moorish Spain* Caid , a form of football popular in Ireland until the mid-19th century...
of the Zayanes in Khénifra
Khenifra
Khenifra is a city in northern central Morocco, surrounded by the Atlas Mountains.-External links:*...
in 1877. Mouha ou Hammou Zayani
Mouha ou Hammou Zayani
Mouha Ou Hammou Zayani, by his full name: Mohammed ou Hammou ben Akka ben Ahmed, also known as Amahzoune ben Moussa , was made Caïd of the Zayanes in Khénifra by sultan Moulay Hassan I in 1886...
was to be an important figure in the 20th century colonial war against France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In 1887 he appointed sheikh Ma al-'Aynayn
Ma al-'Aynayn
Mohamed Mustafa Ma al-'Aynayn was a religious and political leader who fought French and Spanish colonization in North Africa...
as his caid
CAID
Caid may refer to:* Caid , a type of governorship found in North Africa and Moorish Spain* Caid , a form of football popular in Ireland until the mid-19th century...
in Western Sahara
Western Sahara
Western Sahara is a disputed territory in North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly...
. Ma al-'Aynayn
Ma al-'Aynayn
Mohamed Mustafa Ma al-'Aynayn was a religious and political leader who fought French and Spanish colonization in North Africa...
too played an important role in the struggle for independence of Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
.
Moulay Hassan I died 7 June 1894 in Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
, and is buried in Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
.
Honours
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Tower and SwordOrder of the Tower and SwordThe Military Order of the Tower and of the Sword, of Valour, Loyalty and Merit is a Portuguese order of knighthood and the pinnacle of the Portuguese honours system. It was created by King Afonso V in 1459....
of the Kingdom of PortugalKingdom of PortugalThe Kingdom of Portugal was Portugal's general designation under the monarchy. The kingdom was located in the west of the Iberian Peninsula, Europe and existed from 1139 to 1910...
(GCTE)-1882
See also
- List of Kings of Morocco
- History of MoroccoHistory of MoroccoThe History of Morocco spans over 12 centuries, without considering the Classical antiquity. The country was first unified by the Idrisid dynasty in 780, representing the first Islamic state in Africa autonomous from the Arab Empire. Under the Almoravid dynasty and the Almohad dynasty, Morocco...
- Hassan I DamHassan I DamThe Hassan I Dam is an embankment dam located northeast of Demnate on the Lakhdar River in Azilal Province, Morocco. Completed in 1986, the dam provides water for the irrigation of over of farmland. The dam's hydroelectric power plant also generates 132 GWh on average annually. At in height, it...