Moulay Ali Cherif (9 November 1589 in Rissani

Rissani

Rissani is a town in eastern Morocco, located near Erfoud. It is in the region of Er-Rachidia, and is the closest town of significant size to the Erg Chebbi, the largest sand desert in Morocco...

, 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...

, died 5 June 1659 in Rissani) was allegedly a descendant of l-Hesn d-Dakhl

Al Hassan Addakhil

l-Hesn d-Dakhl was a direct ancestor to Mulay ʻLi Shrif, founder of the Alaouite Dynasty, which is the current Moroccan royal family. He was taken to Morocco from the town of Yanbu in the Hejaz at the end of the 13th century by the inhabitants of Tafilalt to be their Imām...

 and is considered to have been the founder 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...

 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...

. He began to increase his power in 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...

 during the anarchy following the death of the Saadi ruler

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....

 Ahmad al-Mansur (1578–1603) and ruled that region from (1631–1640).

Sharif

Sharif

Sharīf or Chérif is a traditional Arab tribal title given to those who serve as the protector of the tribe and all tribal assets, such as property, wells, and land. In origin, the word is an adjective meaning "noble", "highborn". The feminine singular is sharifa...

 Sultan Abul Amlak Sidi Muhammad I as-Sharif bin 'Ali was the Sultan of Tafilalt 1631 - 1636. He was born before 9 November 1589 as the sixth son of 'Ali as-Sharif al-Marrakchi. He abdicated the throne of Tafilat in 1636, in the favour of his eldest of fifteen sons, Muhammad II of Morocco

Muhammad II of Morocco

Sultan Sidi Muhammad II. bin Sharif was the ruler of Tafilalt between 1636-64. He was the eldest son of Muhammad I of Morocco and came to power when his father stepped down. He was exiled from his realms in 1646 and was killed on 2 August 1664 in a battle on the plain of Angad by troops of his...

.

In 1659, the last sultan of the Saadi Dynasty

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....

 was overthrown by Mulay Ali Cherif's son, Mulay r-Rshid (1664–1672) in the conquest of Marrakech

Marrakech

Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...

. After the victory over the Dila brotherhood, who controlled northern 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...

, he was able to unite and pacify the country.

He died at Sijilmasa

Sijilmasa

Sijilmasa was a medieval trade entrepôt at the northern edge of the Sahara Desert in Morocco. The ruins of the town lie along the River Ziz in the Tafilalt oasis near the town of Rissani...

 (Rissani), Tafilalt, on 5 June 1659. His mausoleum

Mausoleum

A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...

 is in the town of Rissani

Rissani

Rissani is a town in eastern Morocco, located near Erfoud. It is in the region of Er-Rachidia, and is the closest town of significant size to the Erg Chebbi, the largest sand desert in Morocco...

in the Tafilalt region. There is also a town named after him in the Meknès-Tafilalet Region.