Abd al-Hafid of Morocco


Abdelhafid of Morocco or Mulai Abdelhafid was the Sultan of Morocco from 1908 to 1912 and a member of the Alaouite Dynasty. His younger brother, Abdelaziz of Morocco, preceded him. While Mulai Abdelhafid initially opposed his brother for giving some concessions to foreign powers, he himself became increasingly backed by the French and finally signed the protectorate treaty giving de facto control of the country to France.

Hafidiya

After his brother Abdelaziz appointed him as caliph of Marrakesh, Abdelhafid sought to have him overthrown by fomenting distrust over Abdelaziz's European ties. Abdelhafid was aided by Madani al-Glaoui, older brother of T'hami, one of the Caids of the Atlas. He was assisted in the training of his troops by Andrew Belton, a British officer and veteran of the Second Boer War. For a brief period, Abdelaziz reigned from Rabat while Abdelhafid reigned in Marrakesh and Fes. In 1908 Abdelaziz was defeated in battle. In 1909, Abdelhafid became the recognized leader of Morocco.

Treaty of Fes

In 1911, rebellion broke out against the Sultan. This led to the Agadir Crisis, also known as the Second Moroccan Crisis. These events led Abdelhafid to abdicate after signing the Treaty of Fes on 30 March 1912, which made Morocco a French protectorate. He signed his abdication only when on the quay in Rabat, with the ship that would take him to France already waiting. After an extended visit to France, where he received a great deal of attention from the press, he returned to Morocco and was exiled to the Dar el Makhzen in Tangier.
after signing the Treaty of Fes in 1912.
His brother Yusef was proclaimed Sultan by the French administration several months later. Yusef was chosen by some dignitaries of Rabat which wasn't the capital of Morocco at the time.

Despotism

, the influential Sufi poet and activist of Fes, was captured, tortured, and beaten to death in front of his wives and children in 1909.
In 1910, Lalla Batoul, a Fesi aristocrat and the wife of a former governor of Fes and supporter of Abdelaziz, was tortured. She was chained to the wall in a crucifixion position, completely naked with her breasts seized in a vice, and whipped and interrogated about the whereabouts of her husband's fortune under the direct supervision of Abdelhafid. Walter Burton Harris reported on the incident in an article published in the Times of Morocco.

Death

Abd al-Hafid died in Enghien-les-Bains, France, on April 4, 1937. His body was transported to Fez, where he was buried in the royal necropolis of the Moulay Abdallah Mosque.

Honors