Moroccan Royal Guard
Encyclopedia
The Moroccan Royal Guard is officially part of the Royal Moroccan Army
. However it is under the direct operational control of the Royal Military Household of His Majesty the King.
because its members were formerly recruited from the Harratines, a black people from the southern part of the Sharifian Empire (as Morocco was called before the French colonial period). The Harratines are no longer part of the Royal Guard today.
The Guard is currently organized as a Brigade of 6,000 troops as follows;
The King is always accompanied by units of the Royal Guard whenever he is on Moroccan soil. All members of the Royal Guard wear a red beret
. Red full dress uniforms of traditional style (white in summer) are worn by both cavalry and infantry on ceremonial occasions.
The King is also protected by two other units of the Royal Moroccan Army. They are, however, not an official part of the Royal Guard. These are:
The Royal Guard traces its origins to the prestigious Black Guard
that was created in 1088 by the Almoravid ruler Yusuf ibn Tashfin
as his personal guard. This recruitment tradition was continued by the Almohad
s through the 15th century. The Alaouite Sultan Moulay Ismail
reorganized the Black Guard into permanent infantry
and cavalry
units at the beginning of the 18th century. He called upon Bambara men who had just converted to Islam
, making them take an oath of service on the collection of hadith
of the Imam Bukhari
. For this reason they were also known as the "Army of Bukhara" or the Boukharis.
Royal Moroccan Army
The Royal Armed Forces is the terrestrial arm of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is a part of one of the oldest monarchies in history. The Alaouite Dynasty is the name of the current Moroccan royal family. The name Alaouite comes from the ‘Alī of...
. However it is under the direct operational control of the Royal Military Household of His Majesty the King.
Organization
The sole duty of the guard is to provide for the security and safety of the King and royal family of Morocco. Formerly known as the Cherifian Guard, the name was changed to Royal Guard after Morocco gained its independence in 1956. The Guard was also unofficially referred to as the Black GuardBlack Guard
The Black Guard , also known as "Masters of the Blackness," were the corps of black-African slave-soldiers assembled by the Alaouite sultan of Morocco, Moulay Ismail...
because its members were formerly recruited from the Harratines, a black people from the southern part of the Sharifian Empire (as Morocco was called before the French colonial period). The Harratines are no longer part of the Royal Guard today.
The Guard is currently organized as a Brigade of 6,000 troops as follows;
- 4 Infantry Battalions, each of 25 officers and 1,000 troops.
- 2 Cavalry Squadrons.
The King is always accompanied by units of the Royal Guard whenever he is on Moroccan soil. All members of the Royal Guard wear a red beret
Red beret
The red beret is a military beret worn by many military police, paramilitary, commando and police forces around the world. The maroon beret has become a symbol of airborne forces, though this is often known as a "red beret", particularly when referring to the British Parachute...
. Red full dress uniforms of traditional style (white in summer) are worn by both cavalry and infantry on ceremonial occasions.
The King is also protected by two other units of the Royal Moroccan Army. They are, however, not an official part of the Royal Guard. These are:
- The Elite Parachute Brigade headquartered in Rabat (number of troops unknown).
- The Light Security Brigade of 2,000 troops.
The Royal Guard traces its origins to the prestigious Black Guard
Black Guard
The Black Guard , also known as "Masters of the Blackness," were the corps of black-African slave-soldiers assembled by the Alaouite sultan of Morocco, Moulay Ismail...
that was created in 1088 by the Almoravid ruler Yusuf ibn Tashfin
Yusuf ibn Tashfin
Yusef ibn Tashfin also, Tashafin, or Teshufin; or Yusuf; was a king of the Almoravid empire, he founded the city of Marrakech and led the Muslim forces in the Battle of Zallaqa....
as his personal guard. This recruitment tradition was continued by the Almohad
Almohad
The Almohad Dynasty , was a Moroccan Berber-Muslim dynasty founded in the 12th century that established a Berber state in Tinmel in the Atlas Mountains in roughly 1120.The movement was started by Ibn Tumart in the Masmuda tribe, followed by Abd al-Mu'min al-Gumi between 1130 and his...
s through the 15th century. The Alaouite Sultan Moulay Ismail
Ismail Ibn Sharif
Moulay Ismaïl Ibn Sharif was the second ruler of the Moroccan Alaouite dynasty. Like others of the dynasty, Ismaïl claimed to be a descendant of Muhammad through his roots to Hassan ibn Ali...
reorganized the Black Guard into permanent infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
and cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
units at the beginning of the 18th century. He called upon Bambara men who had just converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, making them take an oath of service on the collection of hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
of the Imam Bukhari
Muhammad al-Bukhari
Muhammad Ibn Ismail Ibn Ibrahim Ibn al-Mughirah Ibn Bardizbah al-Bukhari , popularly known as Bukhari or Imam Bukhari, , was a Sunni Islamic scholar of Persia...
. For this reason they were also known as the "Army of Bukhara" or the Boukharis.
See also
- Black GuardBlack GuardThe Black Guard , also known as "Masters of the Blackness," were the corps of black-African slave-soldiers assembled by the Alaouite sultan of Morocco, Moulay Ismail...
- Imperial GuardImperial GuardThe Imperial Guard was originally a small group of elite soldiers of the French Army under the direct command of Napoleon I, but grew considerably over time. It acted as his bodyguard and tactical reserve, and he was careful of its use in battle...
- National Guard
- Military of MoroccoMilitary of MoroccoThe Royal Moroccan Armed Forces are the summation of the armed forces of the kingdom of Morocco.It was founded in 1956 after Morocco's independence from France and Spain...
- Republican GuardRepublican GuardRepublican Guard is the organization of a republic which serves to protect the President and the government. Usually synonymous with Presidential Guard.* Albanian Republican Guard* Algerian Republican Guard...