Moulay Ismail

Moulay Ismail of Morocco (Moulay Ismaïl Ben Sherif.) (1645 - 1727), (Arab: rear RTL مولايإسماعيل) is sultan of the Morocco of 1672 with 1727.

The reign of Ismaïl corresponds to one period of apogee of the Moroccan power. Half-brother of the two preceding sultans and governor of Meknès, it is proclaimed sultan in his turn with the advertisement of died of Rachid of a fall of horse. It will need a score of years to consolidate, against various local or religious particularisms, the unit of the kingdom, at the price of bloody repressions. The sultan equips Morocco with a powerful army, made up for a good portion of black slaves who are completely devoted for him, which makes it possible the central capacity to be less depend on the tribes too often rebellious. It reaches 150 000 men. It also constitutes an Arab militia (guich of Ouadaïs). With the head of this military force, equipped well out of artillery, Ismaïl fights the Othomans of Algiers and drives out Europeans (Spanish, English) of the ports which they occupy, like Larache, Asilah and Tangier. What does not prevent it from tying consequent diplomatic relations with the foreign powers.

It receives ambassadors, in particular of the France, England and Spain to bind commercial relations.

In 1682, a treaty of friendship between Morocco and France is signed with Saint-Germain-in-Bush hammer. But the access to the throne of Spain of the grandson of Louis XIV in 1700 condemns this alliance.

It chooses Meknès like capital of its empire in 1672. From the frenzy of constructions which it deployed in this city, it is often compared with its contemporary Louis XIV.

It makes build a network of 76 fortresses which mark out the main roads and surround the mountains. Meknès is protected by twenty-five kilometers from walls.

Moulay Ismaïl maintains 500 concubines, of which it has 700 boys and an unspecified number girls. He wants to make of Meknès the Moroccan Versailles. He asks for Louis XIV the hand of one of his natural daughters.

The man

The principal character traits of Moulay Ismail, on which all the chronicles and all the legends of the time insist, are its tendency to the order and authority, like its iron will. " It was a vigorous man, built well, rather high but of size strong déliée" , according to Gull, captive French having lived in Morocco until 1682. It has the long face, rather black that white, i.e. extremely mulâtre" , according to Saint-Mercies, ambassador of Louis XIV, adds " he is the most vigorous man most extremely and of his Etats." This color of the skin, it holds certainly it of his/her mother who, according to the Bustan of A. Zayani, was originating in Mghafra. Its strength and its force, it put them at the service of a will to any test: " If God has gives the kingdom to me, nobody can me to it ôter" , he said. This will was always going to appear in its actions and decisions.

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