Larache
Encyclopedia
Larache is an important harbour town in the region Tanger-Tétouan in northern Morocco
. It was founded in the 7th century when a group of Muslim
soldiers from Arabia extended their camp at Lixus
onto the south bank of the Loukkos River
.
In 1471, the Portuguese
settlers from Asilah
and Tangier
drove the inhabitants out of Larache, and again it remained uninhabited until the Saadi Sultan
Mohammed ash-Sheikh
decided to repopulate it and build a stronghold on the plateau above river Loukos. He constructed a fortress at the entrance to the port as a means of controlling access to the river.
In the 15th century superpower due to their marine expenditures Portugal spoke of Larache as the largest Moroccan Port.
For a long time, attempts by the Portuguese, Spanish and French to take it met with no success. The Portuguese established the nearby Graciosa fortress
in 1489. The Kasbah, which was built in 1491 by Moulay en Nasser, later became a pirate stronghold. In 1610, the town passed to the Spanish, who stayed there until 1689, but who mainly used the ports as trading stops and never really administered the town. Moulay Ismail finally retook it in 1689.
Attacks on Larache continued, but it still remained in Muslim hands. In 1765, a French fleet failed in the Larache expedition
. But due to the colonisation era
Spain took Larache in 1911 and held it for 45 years until 1956.
n in style.
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...
. It was founded in the 7th century when a group of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
soldiers from Arabia extended their camp at Lixus
Lixus (ancient city)
Lixus is the site of an ancient city located in Morocco just north of the modern seaport of Larache on the bank of the Loukkos River. The location was one of the main cities of the Roman province Mauretania Tingitana.-Geography:...
onto the south bank of the Loukkos River
Loukkos River
The Loukkos River is a major river in northern Morocco. Although it is relatively short , the river is the third largest in Morocco with an average flow of 50 m3/s. The Loukkos river takes source in the Rif Mountains and flows into the Atlantic Ocean in the city of Larache, the city's port is...
.
In 1471, 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...
settlers from Asilah
Asilah
Asilah or Arzila is a fortified town on the northwest tip of the Atlantic coast of Morocco, about 31 km from Tangier. Its ramparts and gateworks remain fully intact...
and Tangier
Tangier
Tangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
drove the inhabitants out of Larache, and again it remained uninhabited until the Saadi Sultan
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....
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...
decided to repopulate it and build a stronghold on the plateau above river Loukos. He constructed a fortress at the entrance to the port as a means of controlling access to the river.
In the 15th century superpower due to their marine expenditures Portugal spoke of Larache as the largest Moroccan Port.
For a long time, attempts by the Portuguese, Spanish and French to take it met with no success. The Portuguese established the nearby Graciosa fortress
Graciosa fortress
The Graciosa fortress was established on the coast of Morocco by the Portuguese in 1489. It was established on a small river island, about three leagues from the sea, at the junction of river Lucus and river el-Mekhazen , a few kilometers inland from modern Larache...
in 1489. The Kasbah, which was built in 1491 by Moulay en Nasser, later became a pirate stronghold. In 1610, the town passed to the Spanish, who stayed there until 1689, but who mainly used the ports as trading stops and never really administered the town. Moulay Ismail finally retook it in 1689.
Attacks on Larache continued, but it still remained in Muslim hands. In 1765, a French fleet failed in the Larache expedition
Larache expedition
The Larache expedition occurred in June 1765 when French Navy troops attacked the Moroccan city of Larache following a bombardment of Salé and Rabat...
. But due to the colonisation era
Spanish Morocco
The Spanish protectorate of Morocco was the area of Morocco under colonial rule by the Spanish Empire, established by the Treaty of Fez in 1912 and ending in 1956, when both France and Spain recognized Moroccan independence.-Territorial borders:...
Spain took Larache in 1911 and held it for 45 years until 1956.
Today
Today Larache has a population of approximately 117,000. Periods of Berber, Arab and Spanish rule have left their mark, although the most dominant is the Muslim influence. The layout of the old town is typically Moorish, while houses in the new town seem to be AndalusiaAndalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
n in style.
Famous areas and places in Larache
- Grave of Jean GenetJean GenetJean Genet was a prominent and controversial French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist. Early in his life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but later took to writing...
- LixusLixus (ancient city)Lixus is the site of an ancient city located in Morocco just north of the modern seaport of Larache on the bank of the Loukkos River. The location was one of the main cities of the Roman province Mauretania Tingitana.-Geography:...
(Roman ruins) - Oued Loukos (Loukkos RiverLoukkos RiverThe Loukkos River is a major river in northern Morocco. Although it is relatively short , the river is the third largest in Morocco with an average flow of 50 m3/s. The Loukkos river takes source in the Rif Mountains and flows into the Atlantic Ocean in the city of Larache, the city's port is...
) - Charie Mohammed Al-Khamis (Boulevard Mohammed VMohammed V of MoroccoMohammed V was Sultan of Morocco from 1927–53, exiled from 1953–55, where he was again recognized as Sultan upon his return, and King from 1957 to 1961. His full name was Sidi Mohammed ben Yusef, or Son of Yusef, upon whose death he succeeded to the throne...
) - Storks Castle
- Boukharis House