Moulay Rashid: The Forgotten Founder of Alaouite Morocco

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into the little-known story of Moulay Rashid, the Alaouite prince who, in the mid-17th century, emerged from the Tafilalt oasis to unite a fractured Morocco. After the collapse of the Saadian dynasty, the country was torn apart by rival religious orders like the Dala'iyya Sufi confederation. Rashid, a sharif claiming descent from the Prophet, led a brutal campaign, capturing Fez in 1666 and Marrakech in 1669. He crushed the Dala'iyya strongholds in the Middle Atlas and established a capital in Fes el-Bali. His reign was brief—he died in a riding accident in 1672—but his conquests paved the way for his brother Moulay Ismail's long rule. The hosts explore Rashid's ruthless tactics, his patronage of the Qarawiyyin mosque, and his legacy as the true architect of the Alaouite state. They also discuss the role of the zaouia networks and the shifting balance of power between the Makhzen and religious brotherhoods. #Alaouite #MoulayRashid #MoroccanHistory #Tafilalt #Dala'iyya #SufiOrder #BattleOfFes #17thCentury #NorthAfrica #Fez #Marrakech #Sharif #IslamicDynasty #Makhzen #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast #Morocco Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo