Morocco has a long and complicated past that goes back thousands of years. The current Moroccan state, on the other hand, has been around since the Idrisid state was founded in 788 CE.
The beginning of the Idrisid State
At the beginning of the Idrisid state, Idris ibn Abdallah, also known as Idris I, set it up. He was related to Hasan ibn Ali, the Prophet Muhammad’s cousin. People think Idris I started Morocco’s first big Islamic state. There were political problems in the Hejaz, so Idris left and moved to Morocco. There, he led the local tribes to unity and built the city of Fez, a major Islamic cultural and religious center.
Dynasties that Ruled Morocco After the Idrisids
After the Idrisid state fell, Morocco was ruled by several different families, such as:
- The Almoravids ruled from 1040 to 1147 and were the first family to bring Moroccan rule to Andalusia.
- The Almohads ruled from 1130 to 1269 and built a huge kingdom that included North Africa and a large part of Andalusia.
- Marinids (1244–1465) They took over after the Almohads and kept Morocco’s government together.
- The Saadians ruled Morocco from 1509 to 1659. A famous event in their history is their win over the Portuguese at the Battle of Wadi al-Makhazin in 1578.
- Alaouites (1666–present) are Morocco’s current royal family. They have been in power since the 1600s.
Getting Independence and colonization
European colonial powers impacted Morocco in the 1800s and early 1900s. In 1912, France imposed a protectorate over Morocco, which split the country into areas of influence between France and Spain.
Independence
Morocco finally gained its freedom in 1956 after a long period of fighting. This led to the creation of the modern Kingdom of Morocco, which was led by King Mohammed V. Since then, Morocco has been ruled by the Alaouite family. The present king is King Mohammed VI, the grandson of Mohammed V.