Ahmad I al-Mansur Saadi
Encyclopedia
Ahmad I al-Mansur (1549 in Fes
- 25 August 1603, outskirts of Fes) was Sultan of the Saadi dynasty
from 1578 to his death in 1603, the sixth and most famous of all rulers of the Saadis. He was the fifth son of Mohammed ash-Sheikh
who was the first Saadi sultan of Morocco
. Ahmad al-Mansur was an important figure in both Europe and Africa in the sixteenth century, his powerful army and strategic location made him an important power player in the late Renaissance period.
in 1557 and the following struggle for power, the two brothers Ahmad al-Mansur and Abd al-Malik
had to flee their elder brother Abdallah al-Ghalib
(1557–1574), leave Morocco
and stay abroad until 1576. The two brothers spent 17 years among the Ottomans between the Regency of Algiers and Constantinople
, and benefited from Ottoman training and contacts with Ottoman culture.
, died in battle against the Portuguese
army at Ksar-el-Kebir
. Ahmad was named his brother's successor and began his reign amid newly won prestige and wealth from the ransom of Portuguese captives.
Al-Mansur began his reign by leveraging his dominant position with the vanquished Portuguese during prisoner ransom talks, the collection of which filled the Moroccan royal coffers. Shortly after, he began construction on the great architectural symbol of this new birth of Moroccan power and relevance; the grand palace in Marrakesh called Al Badi, or "the marvelous".
Eventually the coffers began to run dry due to the great expense of supporting the military, extensive spy services, the palace and other urban building projects, a royal lifestyle and a propaganda campaign aimed at building support for his controversial claim to the Caliphate.
had to control sizable gold resources of its own. Accordingly, al-Mansur was drawn irresistibly to the trans-Saharan gold trade of the Songhai in hopes of solving Morocco's economic deficit with Europe.
Ahmad al-Mansur developed friendly relations with England
in view of an Anglo-Moroccan alliance
. In 1600 he sent his Secretary Abd el-Ouahed ben Messaoud
as ambassador of the Barbary States to the Court of Queen Elizabeth I of England
to negotiate an alliance against Spain
.
Ahmad al-Mansur had French physicians at his Court. Arnoult de Lisle
was physician to the Sultan from 1588 to 1598. He was then succeeded by Etienne Hubert
from 1598 to 1600. Both in turn returned to France to become professors of Arabic at the Collège de France
, and continued with diplomatic endeavours.
The Songhai Empire
, was a western African
state centered in eastern Mali
. From the early 15th to the late 16th century, it was one of the largest African empires
in history. On October 16, 1590, Ahmad took advantage of recent civil strife in the empire and dispatched an army of 4,000 men across the Sahara desert under the command of converted Spaniard
Judar Pasha
. Though the Songhai met them at the Battle of Tondibi
with a force of 40,000, they lacked the maghreb
ian's gunpowder
weapons and quickly fled. Ahmad advanced, sacking the Songhai cities of Timbuktu
and Djenné
, as well as the capital Gao
. Despite these initial successes, the logistics of controlling a territory across the Sahara soon grew too difficult, and the Saadians lost control of the cities not long after 1620.
Ahmad al-Mansur died of the plague in 1603 and was succeeded by Zidan Abu Maali
, who was based in Marrakech
, and by Abou Fares Abdallah
, who was based in Fes
and had only local power. He was buried in the mausoleum of the Saadian Tombs
in Marrakech. In that city is also his El Badi Palace
. Well-known writers at his court were Ahmed Mohammed al-Maqqari, Abd al-Aziz al-Fishtali
, Ahmad Ibn al-Qadi
and Al-Masfiwi
.
Through masterfully astute diplomacy al-Mansur resisted the demands of the Ottoman sultan, to preserve Moroccan independence. By playing the Europeans and Ottomans against one another al-Mansur excelled in the art of balance of power diplomacy. Eventually though he repeated the age-old error, he spent far more than he collected. To fix the problem, like many he attempted to expand his holdings through conquest. And though initially successful in their military campaign against the Songhay Empire, the Moroccans found it increasingly difficult to maintain control over the conquered locals as time went on. Meanwhile, as the Moroccans continued to struggle in the Songhay, their power and prestige on the world stage declined significantly.
Fes
Fes or Fez is the second largest city of Morocco, after Casablanca, with a population of approximately 1 million . It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region....
- 25 August 1603, outskirts of Fes) was Sultan of the Saadi dynasty
Saadi Dynasty
The Saadi dynasty of Morocco , began with the reign of Sultan Mohammed ash-Sheikh in 1554, when he vanquished the last Wattasids at the Battle of Tadla....
from 1578 to his death in 1603, the sixth and most famous of all rulers of the Saadis. He was the fifth son of Mohammed ash-Sheikh
Mohammed ash-Sheikh
Mawlay Mohammed ash-Sheikh ash Sharif al-Hassani al-Drawi at-Tagmadert was the first sultan of the Saadi dynasty ruling over Morocco . "Al-Drawi at-Tagmadert" means: the man from the Draa river valley, from Tagmadert. He was particularly successful in expelling the Portuguese from most of their...
who was the first Saadi sultan of Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. Ahmad al-Mansur was an important figure in both Europe and Africa in the sixteenth century, his powerful army and strategic location made him an important power player in the late Renaissance period.
Exile to the Ottoman Empire
After the murder of their father Mohammed ash-SheikhMohammed ash-Sheikh
Mawlay Mohammed ash-Sheikh ash Sharif al-Hassani al-Drawi at-Tagmadert was the first sultan of the Saadi dynasty ruling over Morocco . "Al-Drawi at-Tagmadert" means: the man from the Draa river valley, from Tagmadert. He was particularly successful in expelling the Portuguese from most of their...
in 1557 and the following struggle for power, the two brothers Ahmad al-Mansur and Abd al-Malik
Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik I Saadi
Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik I , often simply Abd al-Malik or Mulay Abdelmalek, was the Saadi Sultan of Morocco from 1576 until his death right after the Battle of Ksar El Kebir against Portugal in 1578.-Saadi Prince:...
had to flee their elder brother Abdallah al-Ghalib
Abdallah al-Ghalib
Abdallah al-Ghalib Billah was the second Saadian sultan of Morocco.He came to power to the throne as the legal heir of Mohammed ash-Sheikh. From his first wife this first Saadian sultan, Mohammed ash-Sheikh had had three sons, but the two oldest had died...
(1557–1574), leave Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
and stay abroad until 1576. The two brothers spent 17 years among the Ottomans between the Regency of Algiers and Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, and benefited from Ottoman training and contacts with Ottoman culture.
Battle of Ksar el Kebir
In 1578, Ahmad's brother, Sultan Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik I SaadiAbu Marwan Abd al-Malik I Saadi
Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik I , often simply Abd al-Malik or Mulay Abdelmalek, was the Saadi Sultan of Morocco from 1576 until his death right after the Battle of Ksar El Kebir against Portugal in 1578.-Saadi Prince:...
, died in battle against the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
army at Ksar-el-Kebir
Ksar-el-Kebir
Ksar el Kebir is a city in northwest of Morocco with 110,000 inhabitants, about 160 km from Rabat, 32 km from Larache and 110 km from Tangier....
. Ahmad was named his brother's successor and began his reign amid newly won prestige and wealth from the ransom of Portuguese captives.
Rule (1578–1603)
Eventually the coffers began to run dry due to the great expense of supporting the military, extensive spy services, the palace and other urban building projects, a royal lifestyle and a propaganda campaign aimed at building support for his controversial claim to the Caliphate.
Relations with Europe
Morocco's standing with the Christian states was still in flux. The Spaniards and the Portuguese were still popularly seen as the infidel, but al-Mansur knew that the only way his Sultanate would thrive was to continue to benefit from alliances with the Christian economies. To do that MoroccoMorocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
had to control sizable gold resources of its own. Accordingly, al-Mansur was drawn irresistibly to the trans-Saharan gold trade of the Songhai in hopes of solving Morocco's economic deficit with Europe.
Ahmad al-Mansur developed friendly relations with England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in view of an Anglo-Moroccan alliance
Anglo-Moroccan alliance
The Anglo-Moroccan alliance was established at the end of the 16th century and the early 17th century between the kingdoms of England and Morocco. Commercial agreements had been reached by Queen Elizabeth I of England and the Moroccan leader Ahmad al-Mansur on the basis of a mutual enmity to the...
. In 1600 he sent his Secretary Abd el-Ouahed ben Messaoud
Abd el-Ouahed ben Messaoud
Abd el-Ouahed ben Messaoud ben Mohammed Anoun was principal secretary to the Moroccan ruler "Muly Hamet" , and ambassador to the court of Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1600, to promote the establishment of an Anglo-Moroccan alliance....
as ambassador of the Barbary States to the Court of Queen Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
to negotiate an alliance against Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Ahmad al-Mansur had French physicians at his Court. Arnoult de Lisle
Arnoult de Lisle
Arnoult de Lisle was a French physician, Arabist, and diplomat of the 16th and 17th centuries.As a young physician, Arnoult de Lisle married the daughter of Louis Duret, a specialist of Avicenna, in 1586.-Morocco :...
was physician to the Sultan from 1588 to 1598. He was then succeeded by Etienne Hubert
Etienne Hubert
Etienne Hubert d'Orléans was a French physician, Orientalist and diplomat of the 17th century.Etienne Hubert was a court physician for Moroccan ruler Ahmad al-Mansur in Marrakech from 1598 to 1600. In his position he was able during a year to learn Arabic well.From 1600, Etienne Hubert became Royal...
from 1598 to 1600. Both in turn returned to France to become professors of Arabic at the Collège de France
Collège de France
The Collège de France is a higher education and research establishment located in Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, across the street from the historical campus of La Sorbonne at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue des Écoles...
, and continued with diplomatic endeavours.
Songhai campaign
Songhai Empire
The Songhai Empire, also known as the Songhay Empire, was a state located in western Africa. From the early 15th to the late 16th century, Songhai was one of the largest Islamic empires in history. This empire bore the same name as its leading ethnic group, the Songhai. Its capital was the city...
, was a western African
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
state centered in eastern Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
. From the early 15th to the late 16th century, it was one of the largest African empires
African empires
There have been a number of pre-colonial African kingdoms of varying size and influence:*Iron Age empires of North Africa*Medieval Islamic empires in North Africa and the Horn of Africa*The medieval Sahelian kingdoms...
in history. On October 16, 1590, Ahmad took advantage of recent civil strife in the empire and dispatched an army of 4,000 men across the Sahara desert under the command of converted Spaniard
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Judar Pasha
Judar Pasha
Judar Pasha was a military leader of Morocco's Saadi Dynasty and the conqueror of the Songhai Empire.Born a Spaniard, Judar had been captured as a baby. As a young boy he joined the service of Moroccan Sultan Ahmad I al-Mansur Saadi...
. Though the Songhai met them at the Battle of Tondibi
Battle of Tondibi
The Battle of Tondibi was the decisive confrontation in Morocco's 16th-century invasion of the Songhai Empire. Though vastly outnumbered, the Moroccan forces under Judar Pasha defeated the Songhai Askia Ishaq II, guaranteeing the Empire's downfall....
with a force of 40,000, they lacked the maghreb
Maghreb
The Maghreb is the region of Northwest Africa, west of Egypt. It includes five countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania and the disputed territory of Western Sahara...
ian's gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
weapons and quickly fled. Ahmad advanced, sacking the Songhai cities of Timbuktu
Timbuktu
Timbuktu , formerly also spelled Timbuctoo, is a town in the West African nation of Mali situated north of the River Niger on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. The town is the capital of the Timbuktu Region, one of the eight administrative regions of Mali...
and Djenné
Djenné
Djenné is an Urban Commune and town in the Inland Niger Delta region of central Mali. In the 2009 census the commune had a population of 32,944. Administratively it is part of the Mopti Region....
, as well as the capital Gao
Gao
Gao is a town in eastern Mali on the River Niger lying ESE of Timbuktu. Situated on the left bank of the river at the junction with the Tilemsi valley, it is the capital of the Gao Region and had a population of 86,663 in 2009....
. Despite these initial successes, the logistics of controlling a territory across the Sahara soon grew too difficult, and the Saadians lost control of the cities not long after 1620.
Legacy
Zidan Abu Maali
Mawlay Zidan Abu Maali, sultan of Morocco of the Saadi Dynasty , son of Ahmad al-Mansur, residing in Marrakech.-Civil war:...
, who was based in Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
, and by Abou Fares Abdallah
Abou Fares Abdallah
Abou Fares Abdallah was a ruler of the Saadi dynasty. He was one of the three sons of Ahmad al-Mansur and reigned in different parts of the country , the South, Marrakesh and Fez. He especially fought his brother Zidan Abu Maali ....
, who was based in Fes
Fes
Fes or Fez is the second largest city of Morocco, after Casablanca, with a population of approximately 1 million . It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region....
and had only local power. He was buried in the mausoleum of the Saadian Tombs
Saadian Tombs
The Saadian tombs in Marrakech date back from the time of the sultan Ahmad al-Mansur . The tombs were only recently discovered and were restored by the Beaux-arts service...
in Marrakech. In that city is also his El Badi Palace
El Badi Palace
El Badi Palace is located in Marrakech, Morocco, and these days it consists of the remnants of a palace commissioned by the Saadian Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur in 1578...
. Well-known writers at his court were Ahmed Mohammed al-Maqqari, Abd al-Aziz al-Fishtali
Abd al-Aziz al-Fishtali
Abu Faris Abd al-Aziz al-Fishtali was the secretary of state for correspondence and leading poet from Ahmad al-Mansur's court. He wrote 69 poems, numbering 1016 verses.The one surviving work from the pen of al-Fishtali, as the chief scribe of al-Mansur's state is: Manahil al-safa fi ma'athir...
, Ahmad Ibn al-Qadi
Ahmad Ibn al-Qadi
For the Egyptian encyclopedist see Shihab al-Din abu 'l-Abbas Ahmad ben Ali ben Ahmad Abd Allah al-QalqashandiAbu l-Abbas Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn al-Qadi al-Miknasi was the leading writer from Ahmad al-Mansur's court next to Abd al-Aziz al-Fishtali. He was also a renowned judge and mathematician.A...
and Al-Masfiwi
Al-Masfiwi
Al-Masfiwi was a poet in the time of Ahmad al-Mansur. The surviving poetry of al-Masfiwi can be found in Manahil al-Safa, as well as in Kitab al-Istiqsa li-akhbar duwal al-Maghrib al-Aqsa by the nineteenth-century Moroccan historian, Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Khalid al-Nasiri al-Salawi. The section...
.
Through masterfully astute diplomacy al-Mansur resisted the demands of the Ottoman sultan, to preserve Moroccan independence. By playing the Europeans and Ottomans against one another al-Mansur excelled in the art of balance of power diplomacy. Eventually though he repeated the age-old error, he spent far more than he collected. To fix the problem, like many he attempted to expand his holdings through conquest. And though initially successful in their military campaign against the Songhay Empire, the Moroccans found it increasingly difficult to maintain control over the conquered locals as time went on. Meanwhile, as the Moroccans continued to struggle in the Songhay, their power and prestige on the world stage declined significantly.