The Zaydan Library: Morocco's Lost Treasure of Al-Andalus

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the story of the Zaydan Library, a vast collection of manuscripts assembled by the Saadian sultan Ahmad al-Mansur in late 16th-century Marrakech. After al-Mansur's death, his son Zaydan al-Nasir inherited the library, but faced rebellion and exile. In 1612, Zaydan's library was seized by privateers from Salé and sold to the Spanish king Philip III. Today, most of those manuscripts remain in the library of El Escorial near Madrid. Lucas recounts the library's origins, its journey across the Strait of Gibraltar, and what it tells us about Moroccan intellectual life, Saadian patronage, and the fragile fate of cultural heritage. Topics include the Badi Palace, the Qarawiyyin, Andalusian scholars fleeing the Inquisition, and modern efforts to repatriate the collection. A story of power, piracy, and priceless books. #ZaydanLibrary #Saadian #AhmadAlMansur #ElEscorial #Morocco #Manuscripts #AlAndalus #Marrakech #BadiPalace #Qarawiyyin #Salé #BookHistory #Berber #MoroccanHistory #FexingoHistory #NorthAfrica #History #Piracy Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo