Zidan Abu Maali
Encyclopedia
Mawlay Zidan Abu Maali, sultan of Morocco of the Saadi Dynasty
(r. 1603 – 1627), son of Ahmad al-Mansur, residing in Marrakech
.
with warlords taking territory from Zidan, such as Ahmed ibn Abi Mahalli
in the South and Sidi al-Ayachi
in the North. The Spanish
also seized the opportunity to capture the cities of Larache
in 1610 and then al-Ma'mura.
, with the help of envoys such as Samuel Pallache
, and from 1609, he established a Treaty of Friendship. He sent several more envoys to the Low Countries, such as Muhammad Alguazir, Al-Hajari and Yusuf Biscaino
.
James I of England
sent John Harisson
to Muley Zaydan in Morocco in 1610 and again in 1613 and 1615 in order to obtain the release of English captives.
By a coincidence the complete library of this sultan has been transmitted to us to the present day. Due to strange circumstances in a civil war the sultan Zidan Abu Maali had his complete collection transferred to a ship. The commander of the ship 'stole' the ship and brought it to Spain
where the collection was transmitted to El Escorial
.
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....
(r. 1603 – 1627), son of Ahmad al-Mansur, residing in Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
.
Civil war
During the reign of Zidan, after the death of Mulay al-Mansur in 1603, Morocco progressively fell into a state of anarchy, with the Sultan losing authority. Salé became a sort of independent Republic. Morocco was in a state of civil warCivil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
with warlords taking territory from Zidan, such as Ahmed ibn Abi Mahalli
Ahmed ibn Abi Mahalli
Ahmed ibn Abi Mahalli , born in Sijilmasa, was an imam and the leader of a revolution against the reigning Saadi dynasty in the south of Morocco in which he proclaimed himself as mahdi. He is the author of six books, among which are l'Islit al-khirrit , Al Salsabil and Miharas.-References:...
in the South and Sidi al-Ayachi
Sidi al-Ayachi
Sidi al-Ayachi, also el-Ayachi or al-Ayashi , was a Moroccan marabout and warlord, who decided to make secession from the Sultan of Morocco Mulay Zaidan....
in the North. The Spanish
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...
also seized the opportunity to capture the cities of Larache
Larache
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...
in 1610 and then al-Ma'mura.
Foreign relations
Mulay Zidan established friendly relations with the Low CountriesLow Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
, with the help of envoys such as Samuel Pallache
Samuel Pallache
Samuel Pallache was a Jewish-Moroccan merchant, diplomat and pirate who was sent as an envoy to the Dutch Republic in 1608....
, and from 1609, he established a Treaty of Friendship. He sent several more envoys to the Low Countries, such as Muhammad Alguazir, Al-Hajari and Yusuf Biscaino
Yusuf Biscaino
Yusuf Biscaino, also Ahmad b. Abd Allah al-Hayti al-Maruni, was a Morisco in the service of the Moroccan Sultan Mulay Zidan.He was sent as an ambassador to the Low Countries in 1610-11....
.
James I of England
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
sent John Harisson
John Harrison (diplomat)
John Harrison was an English representative in Morocco in the 17th century.James I of England sent John Harrisson to Muley Zaydan in Morocco in 1610 and again in 1613 and 1615 in order to obtain the release of English captives....
to Muley Zaydan in Morocco in 1610 and again in 1613 and 1615 in order to obtain the release of English captives.
By a coincidence the complete library of this sultan has been transmitted to us to the present day. Due to strange circumstances in a civil war the sultan Zidan Abu Maali had his complete collection transferred to a ship. The commander of the ship 'stole' the ship and brought it to 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...
where the collection was transmitted to El Escorial
El Escorial
The Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a historical residence of the king of Spain, in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, about 45 kilometres northwest of the capital, Madrid, in Spain. It is one of the Spanish royal sites and functions as a monastery, royal palace, museum, and...
.
External links
- Example of a golden Saadian Dinar. This coin was struck at the time of the reign Moulay Zidan. (Numismatic Museum of the al-Maghrib Bank, Rabat, Morocco): http://www.discoverislamicart.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;ma;Mus01_F;41;en
- Qoran of Mawlay Zidan, written in the El Badi PalaceEl Badi PalaceEl 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...
: http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:wAPo71FoakEJ:ucblibraries.colorado.edu/specialcollections/Muley%2520Zaidan%2520Koran.doc+al-Badi+palace&hl=nl&gl=uk&ct=clnk&cd=6(retrieved on December 18 2006 (for image click in the url on top of the page)