The Lost Garden of Marrakech: Agdal and Alaouite Power

This episode of The Story of Morocco explores the Agdal Gardens of Marrakech, the vast royal orchards and reservoirs built by the Almohads and later revived by the Alaouite sultans. Lucas and Luna uncover how these gardens were not just a pleasure retreat but a strategic tool for power—a symbol of control over water, food, and labor. They discuss the engineering of the khettara irrigation system, the role of the gardens in the 18th-century famine under Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah, and the famous 1865 gathering of the Makhzen under Sultan Mohammed IV. The episode also touches on the French reinterpretation of the gardens as a 'oriental' spectacle and their recent restoration as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Specific names include Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah, Sultan Mohammed IV, and the Almohad founder Abd al-Mu'min. A deep dive into the politics of paradise in Moroccan history. #AgdalGardens #Marrakech #Almohad #Alaouite #SidiMohammedBenAbdallah #SultanMohammedIV #Khettara #Irrigation #Makhzen #WaterHistory #RoyalGardens #UNESCO #MoroccanHistory #NorthAfrica #History #FexingoHistory #GardenHistory #WaterEngineering #Morocco #Almoravid Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo