Thursday, September 14, 2023

Morocco

The world is with Morocco after this terrible earthquake.

Morocco is the country in the northwest corner of Africa, across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain. Just as the name of Yemen means "south", the name of Morocco means "west".

The original population of Morocco were Berbers. This was the ethnic group that had been there since ancient times. The Berber language was spoken until the Seventh Century Arab conquest of the region. Along with Arabic and French, more than a quarter of the population speaks Berber today. The language is known as Tamazight. The majority of Morocco's population has some Berber ancestry.

There was once a Berber kingdom called Mauretania. The Berber Revolt, against Arab rule, in 739 led to Berber states. In the 1920s the Rif War led to a temporary nation. Berbers are concentrated in the mountains of Morocco.

Unlike neighboring Algeria, Morocco was never ruled by the Ottomans. It was ruled by France and Spain, gaining independence in 1956. Many in Morocco still learn to speak French. Spain managed to hold onto the northern coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.

Morocco is a constitutional monarchy and the present king is Mohammed VI, who has been king since 1999. His father and predecessor is Hassan II, who was crowned in 1961. King Mohammed VI deftly responded to the Arab Spring of 2011-12 by reforming the constitution in ways that pleased the demonstrators in Morocco. Unlike less fortunate national leaders in the region, he survived.

Morocco has been ruled by a succession of dynasties since it's founding in 788. The present king is of the Alouite Dynasty, which has ruled since 1631. Before that was the Saadi Dynasty, which successfully defended Morocco against the Ottomans.

But Morocco was ruled by France, along with Spain. There were protests against French rule and the exiling of Mohammed V, who would later be king, to the distant island of Madagascar seems to have been what set off the series of events that led to independence. Independence was achieved in 1956, except that Spain kept the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.

Since Morocco is a constitutional monarchy there is also the implements of democracy, a prime minister and parliament. But democracy hasn't always been easy and the era of the 1960s through the 1980s are sometimes referred to as the "Years of Lead". Some democracy advocates were reported to have been sent to a secret prison known as Tazmamart.

The U.S. Air Force had a base in Morocco, although not as well-known as the one in Libya. But the newly-independent government of Morocco wanted it to leave, although the country has always remained a U.S. ally.

Morocco is sometimes in the news for the region to it's southwest, formerly known as Spanish Sahara. In November 1975, King Hassan II asked for volunteers to cross into the region and about 350,000 Moroccans came in what is known as the Green March. There are people there who wish to establish a republic independent of Moroccan control, called the Sahrawi Republic.

After the Spanish left, there was a long conflict between Morocco and the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Republic. Morocco withdrew from the African Union over it's recognition of this republic, but has since rejoined. Morocco today keeps control of most of this territory, now generally referred to as Western Sahara.

The First Moroccan State was founded in 788 by Idris I. This began the Idrisid Dynasty. In modern times, Libya also had a King Idris, who was overthrown by Moammar Gaddafi in 1969.

Idris I is considered as certain to be a direct descendant of Muhammad. He is also the great-grandson of Hasan, who was the older brother of Hussein, sometimes spelled as Husayn, and who was considered by Shiites as Muhammad's rightful successor. Hussein was later martyred, and event that is prominently celebrated by Shiites.

Idris I founded the city of Fez as the capital of Morocco, in the Ninth Century. Fez became the largest city in the world in the Twelfth Century. Like China, Morocco has not only been ruled by successive dynasties but also has had a number of cities that have been it's capital. Fez was the first, followed by Marrakesh. Fez would be the capital again in modern times until the French moved it to the present capital city of Rabat, and Mohammed V decided to leave the capital there when the country gained independence from France in 1956.

With the exception of phosphates, tourism is probably the most important element of Morocco's economy, and nowhere is more important to tourists than the historic capital of Fez. The old part of an Arab city is known as the medina. The following scenes begin in Fes el Bali, the oldest part of Fez. This is the Eighth Century city that was the capital of the Idrisid Dynasty. The son of Idris I, Idris II, would start another city across the river which would grow separately until the two were eventually joined.

This scene from Google Street View is of Fes El Bali.


There are multiple scenes following. To see the scenes, after the first one, you must first click the up arrow, ^, before you can move on to the next scene by clicking the right or forward arrow, >, After clicking the up arrow, you can then hide the previews of successive scenes, if you wish.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.061101,-4.9787263,3a,75y,127.77h,113.85t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipMOPwYAn1hIFvP3_UVHYwXftq8fOXW6mRfPD7M_!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipMOPwYAn1hIFvP3_UVHYwXftq8fOXW6mRfPD7M_%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-23.846153-ya336.76733-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352

Here is more of Fes El Bali.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0626867,-4.972992,3a,75y,89.97h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipPQ-6DpDmaGQrOaiA9MbmOnB0B8K4ikEUW0qP56!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPQ-6DpDmaGQrOaiA9MbmOnB0B8K4ikEUW0qP56%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya31.314219-ro-0-fo100!7i7776!8i3888

This is a look at another part of Fez, Fes Jdid (New Fez), which was founded by the Marinid Dynasty in 1276. Fez is especially known for leather production, and this is what the colored tubs are used for.

This image of Fes Jdid is from Google Street View.


 

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.053034,-4.9938214,3a,75y,52.38h,106.46t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOy-98yRrOb1VX9ffe9J6_OyWEVOKc5PjE7ZiOA!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOy-98yRrOb1VX9ffe9J6_OyWEVOKc5PjE7ZiOA%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-16.458334-ya6.3802085-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352

The peak of Morocco's power came when it was ruled by the Almoravid and Almohad Dynasties. We have seen these dynasties in the posting on this blog, "When The Moors Ruled Spain". Morocco was then ruled by the Marinid and Saadi Dynasties, followed by the present Alouite Dynasty which has ruled since 1631.

The Almoravid Dynasty founded the city of Marrakesh in 1062, and moved their capital there from Fez. Many of the older buildings in Marrakesh are built of red sandstone, such as the Koutoubia Mosque with it's tower. The following views begin at the ruins of the El Badi Palace.

https://www.google.com/maps/@31.6181487,-7.9857932,3a,75y,129.43h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipPmZEa8ZQry2luHFjvJhwCQO0ufCfGkDrYnT9X5!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPmZEa8ZQry2luHFjvJhwCQO0ufCfGkDrYnT9X5%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya143.00108-ro0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352

These views of old Marrakech are from Google Street View.


 


The modern buildings of Marrakesh are also often red in color. There were Hippies who went to Marrakesh in the 1960s and many Baby Boomers remember it by the song "Marrakesh Express", referring to the train to Marrakesh.

https://www.google.com/maps/@31.6341234,-8.0144885,3a,75y,200.33h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOy5lpzs_GWDjWhMYoFJ8XVC3fsVtdI6TqyKuNx!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOy5lpzs_GWDjWhMYoFJ8XVC3fsVtdI6TqyKuNx%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-14.933861-ya149.17082-ro-0-fo100!7i13312!8i6656

The largest city, and business center, of Morocco is Casablanca. Morocco didn't entirely escape the age of terrorism, there was the 2003 bombings in Casablanca. The city is on the coast of Morocco and, like "Alexandria" that we visited in Egypt, was a haven for European and American expats. The large mosque, with the tower, is dedicated to Hassan II, the king from 1961 to 1999.

These scenes of Casablanca, and the King Hassan II Mosque, are from Google Street View.


 


This is the area of Casablanca known as Gauthier.

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.590827,-7.6334644,3a,75y,57.37h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipO_4uZOi_ILzCtzuuB5_TM2w0QjhpxZVq5D-G1-!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipO_4uZOi_ILzCtzuuB5_TM2w0QjhpxZVq5D-G1-%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya359.35367-ro-0-fo100!7i9572!8i4786

The present capital city of Morocco is Rabat. The French moved it there from Fez, where there had been demonstrations against French rule which began in 1912, and Mohammed V decided to keep it there when the country became independent. 

These views of Rabat are from Google Earth and Street View. The view from above shows the street pattern in the old part of the city at the top and the influence of Paris at the bottom. But the French influence like this seems to be limited to Rabat.




This is a look at the Kasbah of the Udayas, the old part of the city, in Rabat. A Kasbah is a fort.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0324486,-6.8352541,3a,75y,118.25h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipMxJs1cPZk2e9Z4xIqB34-AwNEfXE_F6CPKsXQL!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipMxJs1cPZk2e9Z4xIqB34-AwNEfXE_F6CPKsXQL%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi1.0295627-ya180.1397-ro0.23556763-fo100!7i4320!8i2160

Here is modern Rabat. 

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.9732895,-6.8233719,3a,75y,110t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipN5lklj4SA0kB_Z8LjvHCT3lUpliCx_D-Pp6CWr!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipN5lklj4SA0kB_Z8LjvHCT3lUpliCx_D-Pp6CWr%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-20-ya0-ro-0-fo100!7i9340!8i4670

In the northwest of Morocco, in proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the Strait of Gibraltar, is the city of Tangier. It began as a Phoenician colony, we saw the Phoenicians in our visit to "Beirut". The tomb of Ibn Battuta is there, the famed Berber traveler that I have referred to a number of times.

A major step toward the First World War took place when Kaiser Wilhelm II visited Tangier in 1905, touring the city on his famed white horse, and precipitated what became known as the First Moroccan Crisis by promising to support the sultan's sovereignty. It was no secret that France had designs on Morocco, over which it would take control in 1912, and this began a downward spiral in the relations between Germany and the western allies.

During the Cold War, Tangier's strategic location made it a center of spying and espionage and, like Marrakesh, it was a destination for Hippies during the 1960s. 

These images of Tangier are from Google Street View.


 


Following is a look at Tangier.

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.7744464,-5.807534,3a,75y,97.5h,96.94t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipN8FKS5NAJHzjZYu8eOEqXo4YmeBxUwszEXM65_!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipN8FKS5NAJHzjZYu8eOEqXo4YmeBxUwszEXM65_%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-6.941883-ya40.500004-ro-0-fo100!7i8192!8i4096

Finally, we come to the northern Moroccan city of Tetouan. Like France, Spain was also involved in Morocco and this was the center of Spanish rule in the country. Some people can still speak Spanish there, although many more Moroccans can speak French than Spanish.

When Jews were expelled from Spain, many went to Tetouan. Moroccan Jews were very prominent in the reestablishment of Israel in 1948. There was a Moroccan Quarter on the western side of the Temple Mount, which had been there since the Twelfth Century, and which was removed to make accessible the Western Wall, almost certainly the holiest place accessible to Jews today.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moroccan_Quarter#/media/File:Moroccan-Quarter-Western-Wall-Jerusalem-Old.jpg

Have you ever wondered why America's White House is white? I cannot find documentation of exactly why, but I have a theory. It has been mostly forgotten that Morocco was actually the first nation to recognize America as an independent nation. The largest city in Morocco is Casablanca, which means "white house". Although it is in Tetouan that the buildings are actually white.

This is the white buildings of Tetouan, from Google Street View.

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