Marrakech (Mourrakouchi) was founded in the year 1071 (year 463 AH) by the sovereign Almoravid Youssef Ibn Tachfin4. The name comes from Marrakech Tamazight Mour meaning "country" and Akouch meaning "God", giving "the land of God." Another etymology gives the interpretation of "grazing land" 5.
Soon, in Marrakech, under the impulse of Almoravides, pious warriors and austere scholars from the current Mauritanian desert, many mosques and madrassas (Koranic schools of theology) were built, and a shopping center draining traffic between Western Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa. Marrakech grew rapidly and emerged as an influential cultural and religious center, supplanting Aghmat and Sijilmassa. Palaces were also built and decorated with the assistance of Andalucian craftsmen from Córdoba and Seville, who brought the Umayyad style characterized by chiselled and lobed arches domes. This Andalusian influence merged with the elements even Saharan West Africa and was synthesized in a totally original architecture adapted to the specific environment of Marrakech. The city became the capital of the Almoravid Emirate which stretched from the shores of Senegal to central Spain and the Atlantic coast to Algiers.
The city was then fortified by the son of Youssef Ibn Tachfine Youssef Ben Ali, which had built towards 1122-1123 still visible walls.
main pavilion of the Menara gardens
In 1147 the Almohads, proponents of orthodox Islam and Masmoudas from the tribes of the High Atlas, captured the city. The last Almoravids were exterminated except those who were exiled to the Balearic Islands (family Banu Ghaniya). As a result almost all the monuments was destroyed. The Almohads built numerous palaces and religious buildings, such as the famous Koutoubia mosque built on the ruins of a palace Almoravid, and twin sister of the Giralda in Seville and the Hassan Tower (unfinished) in Rabat.
The Casbah Caliphate housed the residence (since the reign of Abd al-Mu'min the Almohad ruler bore the title of caliph, rivaling the far eastern Abbasid caliphate), decorated with a hospital that drew the Andalusian physician Ibn Tufail. Of all of the majestic mansourienne Casbah, named after the caliph Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur, are still the beautiful Bab Agnaw. Marrakech was well worthy to host the capital of the major power of the medieval Muslim West, the Almohad Empire that encompassed the entire area between Tripoli and Cordoba, Spain to Libya.
To feed the park and the large gardens, an irrigation system was built and perfected. Marrakech, by cultural influence attracted many writers, intellectuals and artists especially from Andalusia, including the famous Averroes, known to have widely commented on and reinterpreted the work of the Greek philosopher Aristotle.
In 1269, Marrakech was conquered by the nomadic Zenata the expense of the last Almohad. When came the advent of Marinids, Marrakech fell into a lethargy, and its decline led to the loss of its status as capital in favor of its rival Fez.
In the early sixteenth century, Marrakech became the capital of the Saadian Empire, having been the seat of the local emirs Hintata principality. She reestablished quickly with its height, especially during the reign of Sultan Mohammed El Mahdi and Ahmed al-Mansur. With the fortune amassed as a result of the conquest of Timbuktu, Marrakech was embellished, the ruined monuments then restored and sumptuous palace built. The El Badi Palace raised by Ahmed al-Mansur, was a replica of the Alhambra, made with the most precious materials from Italy (marble), West Africa (gold powder), of India (porphyry) and even China (jade). Badi also struck by his contemporaries Qubbat al Jujjaj, its "glass dome" made of translucent crystal. But all this was to disappear, dismantled by order
This palace was primarily designed for lavish VIP meetings from Spain, England and the Ottoman Empire, recognizing Morocco saadien as a powerful force that stretched from the Mediterranean to the Niger River and reigned on the old Songhai empire of Mali and its rich gold deposits. Under the reign of the Saadian dynasty, Marrakesh and found his role as a contact point between North Africa, the Mediterranean and sub-Saharan African world, through the caravan routes.
In the late seventeenth century, the Alawite dynasty succeeded the Saadian. The throne was successively moved to Fez and Meknes, new imperial city. Sultan Mohammed III (1757-1790) chose the city as a place of residence, due to the proximity of the port of Mogador (Essaouira today) it was erected on the plans of the French architect Théodore Cornut. This is in addition to Marrakech that was concluded in 1787 the first treaty of friendship between Morocco and the newly independent United States. In 1792, Marrakech became the capital of a son of Mohammed III, Hicham, who made himself known as Sultan by this part of the country, while his brother Sulayman was recognized legitimate sultan in Fez by the ulama and the provinces of the north Oum Errabiaa river. This led to a war between the two rival sultans, which ended with the defeat of Hicham in 1796, despite the Spanish support it enjoyed. Marrakech was reconquered by Sulayman in 1797 and the city reinstated the Makhzen territory of Fez.
In the early twentieth century, Marrakech experienced several years of unrest. After the death of Grand Vizier Ahmed Ba in 1900, real regent of the Sherifian Empire during the minority of the young Sultan Abd al-Aziz, the country was plagued by anarchy, tribal revolts, conspiracies of the great feudal lords, excluding European intrigues. In 1907, Moulay Abd al-Hafid, khalifa (representative of the Makhzen) in Marrakech was proclaimed sultan by the powerful tribes of the High Atlas and some ulama who denied the legitimacy of his brother Abd al-Aziz. Also in 1907, was assassinated a French doctor installed in Marrakech, Dr. Emile Mauchamp suspected of spying for his country. France takes this case to enter its troops in Morocco, Oujda from Casablanca to the east
The French colonial army nevertheless met with strong resistance animated by Ahmed al-Hiba, a son of the great Sheikh Maelainin mounted Sahara with its nomadic warriors from the tribes Reguibat. After the battle of Sidi Bou Othmane, which saw the victory of the Mangin column on the forces of al-Hiba (September 1912), the French seized Marrakech thus entered the French protectorate of Morocco established since March 1912. the conquest was facilitated by the rallying of Imzwarn tribes and leaders belonging to the powerful family of Glaouis.
One of them, Thami El Glaoui, became famous by going to the pasha of Marrakesh station, a post he will occupy practically throughout the duration of the Protectorate (forty-four). The Pasha Glaoui became famous for its collaboration with the authorities of the general residence, which reached its climax with the plot to dethrone Mohammed Ben Youssef (Mohammed V) to replace the cousin of Sultan Ben Arafa.
Thami El Glaoui, already renowned for its prestigious associates and his ostentatious lifestyle, worthy of a monarch, and became a striking symbol of the colonial order in Morocco. He could not however oppose the rise of nationalist sentiment, or the hostility of a growing share of the population. It could not resist the pressures of France, who consented to shed its Moroccan protectorate due to the disaster of the Indochina war and the beginning of the war in Algeria. After two successive exiles (in Corsica and then to Madagascar), Mohammed Ben Youssef was allowed to return to Morocco (November
and return signed the end of the despotic rule of Glaoui of Marrakech and its region.
Culture
Marrakech is one of the university cities of Morocco. The Cadi Ayyad University is the largest in the region. More recently a high school visual arts (ESAV) was created in partnership between Dar Bellarj Foundation and the University of Marrakech, offering the city a training tool in cinema and television. Marrakech also organizes the International Film Festival.
Arts in Marrakech Biennale, born in 2005 is the most important appointment of contemporary art in Morocco. Contemporary art has become a private museum in Marrakech. This is the museum of the palm grove, a private initiative due to the collector and creator of perfumes Abderrazzak Benchaâbane. The museum of the palm grove the visitor discovers a collection of paintings, photographs, installation and sculptures of Moroccan and foreign artists. The collection shows the work of sixty artists of today and those of pariiez [What?] Just after the Great War.
It is the first private Marrakech campus of the kingdom which has several schools such as HECI Group (Higher Commercial and Computer Studies), the top business school (GSS), Euromed and Vatel.
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