Morocco's Jewish Queen: The Khenata al-Barnousiyya Regency

In early 18th-century Morocco, a woman from the Middle Atlas mountains ruled the Alaouite empire as regent for nearly two decades. Khenata al-Barnousiyya, widow of Sultan Moulay Ismail, managed the Makhzen administration, negotiated with European powers, and navigated the treacherous politics of the royal court in Meknes. This episode explores how a Berber woman from the Ait Yafelman tribe rose to become one of the most powerful figures in Moroccan history, her diplomatic correspondence with Queen Anne of Great Britain, and the fragile succession crisis that followed Moulay Ismail's death. We also examine the limits of her power, the scholarly debates about her agency as a female ruler, and the legacy of a woman whose story has been largely overlooked. Learn about the day-to-day workings of the Makhzen palace, the role of the Black Guard in succession struggles, and how Khenata's reign reflected broader patterns of women's influence in Islamic empires. #KhenataalBarnousiyya #MoulayIsmail #Alaouite #Morocco #Regency #Berber #AitYafelman #Makhzen #Meknes #18thCentury #WomenInHistory #IslamicEmpires #QueenAnne #NorthAfrica #BlackGuard #AbidalBukhari #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo