Imperial cities of Morocco
Encyclopedia
The imperial cities of Morocco are old capitals of one or more dynasties. such as Fes
, which was the capital of Morocco several times, Marrakech
that was the capital of the Saadiens
, after being that of the Almohades and of the Almoravides, Meknes
was at one time capital of the Alaouite dynasty
. Rabat
is the current capital of Morocco
.
Fes
Fes is considered to be the arabo-Andalusian city par excellence of Morocco and the Arab World. Founded by Idris I
between 789 and 808, the town of Fes
was the capital of four dynasties:
It was founded by the first Sultan of Morocco Idriss I, by its Arab companiouns helped by the Berber tribe of Awraba. As of this time, Fes
was the only city in North Africa
equipped with an infrastructure allowing it to compete with the Eastern cities such as Kairouan
, Damascus
, Baghdad
, Cairo
or Jerusalem (al-Quds). It accommodated starting from VIIIe century of the thousands of refugees kairouanais and Andalusians. Consequently from its architecture and its civilization, this city became a pearl of arabo-Andalusian art. The first residences going back to this time were always inhabited and are located in Fes-el-Bali, the old working of the médina. The city saw the foundation of the university "Al-qaraouiyyin", the oldest university
in the world, under the authority of a woman, Fatéma el-Fihriyya who was from the powerful family of Fihri.
Marinid Dynasty: politically fallen due to disuse, the town of Fes
preserved its role of the cultural, religious, spiritual and economic center of the country, lasting through the era when Marrakech had become the powerful capital of the country. The Marinid dynasty gave all its power to the city, by building the ramparts, the citadels surrounding the city, several madrasas (universities), baths, markets, palates and other jewels of architecture. The large-scale construction of the new Fes-El-Bali district painted in white illustrates the largely cosmopolitan population which oscillated between six hundred and eight hundred and thousand inhabitants during the XIV and XV centuriy, while at the same time of the cities like London or Paris counted less than 50.000 inhabitants (following the epidemics of Black Death
). During this period the "Ilm" (science) and the "Aql" (reason) were erected, and the technological and scientific level of the city was high. The inventor of sociology, Ibn-Khaldoun lived there during his childhood and youth and identified himself as resident of Fez.
This was also the time where the Mausoleum of the founder of the city was built, after his tomp was discovered with great pomp during working, in the XIVe century. The discovery of the tomb of the saint patron of the city, respected and venerated by all the residents of Fez, allowed the reinforcement of the religious reference marks and the sherifat (institution sacrilizing the families going down from the prophet). This mausoleum is always present and active thanks to the donations, and particularly to the Alamiyyin family for managing it.
Marrakech
Called sometimes by Red City and considerated a symbol of Morocco and Arab-Berber-Islamic World and the power central of greatest dynasties in level of Mediterranean region and the North of Africa. Marrakech built by Almoravides in 1071 was created, and took It a capital for them.
Marrakech was a capital for :
Fes
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....
, which was the capital of Morocco several times, Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
that was the capital of the Saadiens
Saadi Dynasty
The Saadi dynasty of Morocco , began with the reign of Sultan Mohammed ash-Sheikh in 1554, when he vanquished the last Wattasids at the Battle of Tadla....
, after being that of the Almohades and of the Almoravides, Meknes
Meknes
Meknes is a city in northern Morocco, located from the capital Rabat and from Fes. It is served by the A2 expressway between those two cities and by the corresponding railway. Meknes was the capital of Morocco under the reign of Moulay Ismail , before it was relocated to Marrakech. The...
was at one time capital of the Alaouite dynasty
Alaouite 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...
. Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
is the current capital 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...
.
FesFesFes 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....
Fes is considered to be the arabo-Andalusian city par excellence of Morocco and the Arab World. Founded by Idris IIdris I
Idris I was the first ruler and founder of the Idrisid Dynasty, ruling from 788 to 791 AD. He is credited with founding the dynasty that was instrumental in the early Islamization of Morocco.-History:...
between 789 and 808, the town of Fes
Fes
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....
was the capital of four dynasties:
- Idrisid dynasty
- Marinid dynasty
- Wattasid dynasty
- Alaouite dynastyAlaouite DynastyThe 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...
It was founded by the first Sultan of Morocco Idriss I, by its Arab companiouns helped by the Berber tribe of Awraba. As of this time, Fes
Fes
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....
was the only city in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
equipped with an infrastructure allowing it to compete with the Eastern cities such as Kairouan
Kairouan
Kairouan , also known as Kirwan or al-Qayrawan , is the capital of the Kairouan Governorate in Tunisia. Referred to as the Islamic Cultural Capital, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city was founded by the Arabs around 670...
, Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
or Jerusalem (al-Quds). It accommodated starting from VIIIe century of the thousands of refugees kairouanais and Andalusians. Consequently from its architecture and its civilization, this city became a pearl of arabo-Andalusian art. The first residences going back to this time were always inhabited and are located in Fes-el-Bali, the old working of the médina. The city saw the foundation of the university "Al-qaraouiyyin", the oldest university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in the world, under the authority of a woman, Fatéma el-Fihriyya who was from the powerful family of Fihri.
Marinid Dynasty: politically fallen due to disuse, the town of Fes
Fes
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....
preserved its role of the cultural, religious, spiritual and economic center of the country, lasting through the era when Marrakech had become the powerful capital of the country. The Marinid dynasty gave all its power to the city, by building the ramparts, the citadels surrounding the city, several madrasas (universities), baths, markets, palates and other jewels of architecture. The large-scale construction of the new Fes-El-Bali district painted in white illustrates the largely cosmopolitan population which oscillated between six hundred and eight hundred and thousand inhabitants during the XIV and XV centuriy, while at the same time of the cities like London or Paris counted less than 50.000 inhabitants (following the epidemics of Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
). During this period the "Ilm" (science) and the "Aql" (reason) were erected, and the technological and scientific level of the city was high. The inventor of sociology, Ibn-Khaldoun lived there during his childhood and youth and identified himself as resident of Fez.
This was also the time where the Mausoleum of the founder of the city was built, after his tomp was discovered with great pomp during working, in the XIVe century. The discovery of the tomb of the saint patron of the city, respected and venerated by all the residents of Fez, allowed the reinforcement of the religious reference marks and the sherifat (institution sacrilizing the families going down from the prophet). This mausoleum is always present and active thanks to the donations, and particularly to the Alamiyyin family for managing it.
MarrakechMarrakechMarrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
Called sometimes by Red City and considerated a symbol of Morocco and Arab-Berber-Islamic World and the power central of greatest dynasties in level of Mediterranean region and the North of Africa. Marrakech built by Almoravides in 1071 was created, and took It a capital for them.Marrakech was a capital for :
- AlmoravidsAlmoravidsThe Almoravids were a Berber dynasty of Morocco, who formed an empire in the 11th-century that stretched over the western Maghreb and Al-Andalus. Their capital was Marrakesh, a city which they founded in 1062 C.E...
- Almohads
- Saadi dynastySaadi DynastyThe Saadi dynasty of Morocco , began with the reign of Sultan Mohammed ash-Sheikh in 1554, when he vanquished the last Wattasids at the Battle of Tadla....
- AlaouitsAlaouite DynastyThe 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...
(In certain periods)