Ahmed “Al Mansour” (the victorious): from fraught beginnings to Empire, links with England’s famous Queen Elizabeth I, and his tragic end.
Ahmed al Mansour (the Victorious) had such an impact on Marrakech, that it appeared important to us to dedicate a blog post to him so that we set the scene for our tourists. But also his story, if anything else, is simply fascinating.
Discover the story of Ahmed “al-Mansour” (the victorious), born in 1549 in Fez, Morocco.
Heir to a prestigious lineage, he was the enlightened son of Mohammed ash-Sheikh, the respected Saadian sultan. From an early age, Ahmed distinguished himself through his refined education, immersing himself in the study of the Koran, the Islamic sciences, and the arts of war.
Early life traumas
At the tender age of eight, Ahmed's destiny took a dramatic turn as the power games of the court separated him from the splendour of the palace. His Father decided to make a younger heir his successor, contrary to the regular succession rules. A purge of the actual older and more legitimate heirs took then place.
Forced to flee the family intrigues, he found refuge first in Sijilmassa, dans les terres Ottomanes voisines, then in the prestigious regency of Algiers. He even went on to Istanbul and fought for the Ottoman Sultan. Despite the challenges, his unbreakable bond with his homeland persisted, patiently awaiting his triumphant return in 1574 to his beloved older brother, Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik.
This tumultuous journey forged Ahmed al-Mansour into the enlightened statesman and visionary military strategist he became. His captivating story inspires admiration and respect, recalling the daring and determination that marked his journey. His return in 1574 marked the beginning of an era of greatness for Morocco and the Saadian Empire, leaving behind an unforgettable legacy of excellence and leadership.
The Battle of the Three Kings
In 1578, a major turning point occurred in the life of Ahmed al-Mansour.
Following the tragic death of his beloved brother, Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik, who fell in battle during the legendary Battle of Wadi Makhazin, also known as the Battle of the Three Kings (because of the deaths of 3 of the kings involved in it), against the Portuguese, Ahmed al-Mansur ascended the throne following the death of his brother in the battle.
Recognition of the corpse of King Sebastian of Portugal before the Sultan of Morocco Ahmad al-Mansur, painting by Caetano Moreira de Costa Lima, 1886, oil in canvas
It was following this decisive victory that the people bestowed upon him the glorious nickname of al-Mansur, meaning "the Victorious", a testament to his unshakeable leadership and legendary courage.
Ahmed Al Mansour and his El Badi Palace of Marrakech
Endowed with a colossal fortune, Ahmed al-Mansour undertook the construction of the sumptuous El Badi Palace in Marrakech, a veritable architectural jewel combining the most exquisite materials from Europe, Asia, and Africa. This majestic palace, inspired by the royal residences of Muslim Andalusia, became the setting for grandiose receptions, lavishly hosting foreign embassies, particularly those from Spain, England, France and the Ottoman Empire.
This opulent palace, a testament to the grandeur and magnificence of Ahmed al-Mansur, symbolises his glorious reign and eminent status on the international stage, establishing his enduring legacy of power and refinement.
He also expanded and gave its glory to the necropolis of the Saadian Tombs where he was actually buried after his tragic passing.
Establishing a Moroccan empire:
Under the enlightened leadership of Al-Mansour, Morocco turned its attention to western Niger, famous for its legendary treasures, coveted since the historic pilgrimage to Mecca by the Malian emperor Mansa Kanga Moussa in the 13th century and that of the emperor of Gao in the early 16th century.
Meticulously preparing this historic undertaking, in October 1590 the sultan deployed an imposing force of 10,000 men, accompanied by horses, camels and, above all, cannons, under the command of Djouder, a converted Spanish eunuch.
The aim of this daring expedition was to conquer the empire of Gao, thereby ensuring control of the Teghazza salt mines and the gold reserves of Sudan, and to remove the overly influential chiefs from his mercenary army. Made up of Andalusians and renegade Europeans, this army of diverse origins was united by faith and the ambition to prosper under the banner of Islam.
At the height of its power, the Songhai Empire was a formidable force, stretching from Senegal to the Aïr under the Askias dynasty. After an epic two-month journey across the Sahara, the Moroccan army reached the banks of the River Niger in April 1591, confronting the Songhai in the legendary battle of Tondibi.
Djouder's resounding victory paved the way for unprecedented Moroccan domination of the region. Governors appointed by Marrakesh now ran the pashalik of the Moroccan Sudan, imposing their authority over the entire middle Niger valley for 80 years. The religious influence of the Saadian caliphate extended as far as Chad, marking a memorable chapter in the history of Islam in West Africa.
As the Songhai Empire declined and West Africa felt the aftershocks, Ahmed al-Mansour sparked passionate debate in Morocco. Some praise his enterprise as a rebirth of the universal caliphate, while others express concern about expansion against an already Islamised region.
Despite fierce resistance from some of Askia's heirs, Moroccan domination of the Niger loop remained unchallenged until the fall of the Saadian dynasty, leaving a lasting legacy of power and prestige.
Extent of Saadian territory during the reign of Ahmad al-Mansour
The El Mansour Eddahbi dam lake, built in 1960 near Ouarzazate, perpetuates the glorious memory of Ahmed al-Mansour, the Victorious and the Golden, underlining his indelible impact on the history and landscape of modern Morocco.
The unexpected diplomatic relationship of Queen Elizabeth (the First) and Ahmed Al Mansour:
Discover the fascinating story of the Anglo-Moroccan alliance, a strategic relationship forged with flair in the late 16th and early 17th centuries between the prestigious kingdom of England and the illustrious Cherifian Empire.
Under the visionary leadership of Queen Elizabeth I of England and the distinguished Moroccan sultan Ahmed al-Mansour, this alliance was forged on the basis of a shared hostility towards the Spanish king Philip II.
Fostering a flourishing commercial exchange, this union was characterised by dynamic trade, mainly in arms, testifying to the power and solidity of this collaboration. Aspirations for direct military collaboration were also eagerly explored, underlining the mutual commitment to defence and prosperity.
Ahmed al-Mansour is even said to have proposed to the famous Queen Elizabeth I of England that they should together conquer the Americas (today's USA), a thought that the British would make a reality a little later in their history.
Even after the reign of these emblematic figures, the alliance endured, carried forward by the determination and vision of their successors, inscribing this fruitful cooperation in the annals of history.
A strategic alliance forged in the 16th century transformed trade between two emerging powers, thanks to the visionary leadership of the Amphlett family. While Spain, Portugal and Genoa dominated European trade with Morocco, a decisive turning point came in 1541 when Portugal lost its control over the towns of Santa Cruz and Safi, opening up new horizons.
Thanks to the daring explorations of Thomas Wyndham's Lion between 1551 and 1585 and the establishment of the prestigious Barbary Company, England consolidated its presence and prospered in trade with the Barbary countries, particularly Morocco.
Morocco thrived on valuable exports such as sugar, ostrich feathers and saltpeter, traded for English refinements such as fine fabrics and firearms, despite persistent objections from Spain and Portugal.
Queen Elizabeth I made unprecedented diplomatic efforts by holding fruitful exchanges with Sultan Abd Al-Malik, opening up new avenues for trade and negotiating considerable benefits for English merchants.
Thanks to his exceptional linguistic skills in Spanish, Italian and Arabic, the Sultan corresponded personally with the English Queen, testifying to the importance of the commercial ties between the two nations. In 1577, the Queen sent the eminent Edmund Hogan as ambassador to the Moroccan court, strengthening bilateral relations and opening up new commercial opportunities.
Ahmed Al Mansour and his fraught relationships with the Ottoman Empire:
Al-Mansur had ambivalent relations with the Ottoman Empire. At the start of his reign he formally recognized the suzerainty of the Ottoman sultan but still remaining independent in practice.
However, he immediately alienated the Ottoman sultan when he favourably received the Spanish embassy in 1579, who brought him lavish gifts, and then reportedly trampled the symbol of Ottoman suzerainty before a Spanish embassy in 1581.
Ahmed Al Mansour also suspected that the Ottomans were involved in the first rebellions against him in his early part of his reign. As a result, he minted coins in his own name and had Friday prayers delivered in his own name instead of in the name of Murad III, the Ottoman sultan, which proved to be one step too far for the Ottoman Sultan. The Ottoman began to prepare an attack on Morocco with the aim to bring Morocco into the Ottoman Algerian fold.
As soon as Ahmed Al Mansour got wind of the preparation for the attack on his Kingdom, in 1582, he got an Embassy with sizeable gifts amongst which a tribute of 100 000 gold coins, where he pledged respect to the Ottoman Sultan and in return the attack was called off and Ahmed Al Mansour was left alone. Algerian tried to scuttle and hijack the Moroccan Embassy to Istanbul, as the Grand Admiral of Algiers had hoped to put Morocco under his sphere of influence.
Ahmed Al Mansour agreed to pay annual gifts to the Ottoman Sultan, even agreed to mount a joint tentative operation with the Ottomans to conquer Spain, which was later abandoned and continued to play the Europeans and Ottomans against each other.
The relationship with Istanbul stabilized enough, to a point that Ahmed Al Mansour felt secure enough to drop his annual “gifts” that the Ottoman considered a tribute by 1587.
Tragic End of his Reign
Ahmed Al Mansour ‘s end of reign was far from its magnificence.
Embattled with one of his sons who rebelled against him, his kingdom was hit by a deadly plague.
The first wave of the epidemic struck between 1597 and 1598, disturbing the rule of the powerful and glorious Moroccan sultan. The country underwent a wave of famine and the plague: it is estimated 450 000 Moroccans died from the plague, and trade was severely disrupted while most ports were shut because of the health crisis.
Fez was the most hurt of all major cities of Morocco and the plague ended up reaching Marrakech (giving to Place Jema el Fna what can appear to the its strange name), the capital of the kingdom under Ahmed Al Mansour, the Sultan decided to leave Marrakech and his beautiful Baadi Palace for health safety reasons, to rule his kingdom from tents from the countryside in the summer months where the plague was its worst.
The country was in disarray, ports were shut down, authorities too preoccupied by their own health situation to be working efficiently, and the country victim of insecurity and eventually outright violence. According to Stephen Cory’s book (“Reviving the Islamic Caliphate in Early Modern Morocco »), even the Ottomans envisaged then to invade the country.
Although Ahmed Al Mansour finally won over his rebellious son in 1602, he nevertheless lost to the plague, getting infected in 1603 under one of his tents in the countryside on the outskirts of Fez.
A tragic end to the bravest and most successful and ambitious of the Sultans of Morocco whose story is still today revered.
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