The Atlas Lions: Morocco's Makhzen Army and the Black Guard

In this episode of The Story of Morocco, Lucas and Luna explore the rise of the Abid al-Bukhari, the Black Guard — a slave-soldier army created by Sultan Moulay Ismail in the 17th century. We trace how this force, recruited from sub-Saharan Africa and trained as a praetorian corps, became the backbone of Alaouite military power. Along the way, we meet Moulay Ismail himself — the 'Bloody Sultan' who ruled for 55 years, built Meknes as his imperial capital, and used the Abid to crush revolts, fight Europeans, and centralize the Makhzen state. We also get into the harder questions: the ethics of slave soldiers, what happened to the Abid after Ismail's death, and how their legacy echoes through Morocco's later military reforms. Specific figures include Moulay Ismail, Abid al-Bukhari commanders like Abou Rihane, and European captives who left accounts. Rich in detail from the qasbas of Meknes to the battles of Larache and Tangier. #AbidalBukhari #MoulayIsmail #BlackGuard #SlaveSoldiers #Makhzen #Alaouite #Meknes #Larache #Tangier #MoroccanHistory #NorthAfrica #17thCentury #BarbaryCoast #Amazigh #Sijilmasa #PraetorianGuard #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo