The Moroccan Monarchy

The royal 'Alawi dynasty has reigned over Morocco since the 17th century. In the early 20th century, the European powers vied for power in Morocco. Sultan Abd al-Aziz IV displeased Moroccans by cooperating with the Europeans and was deposed in 1908. His brother, Abd al-Hafiz, took the throne but abdicated after the kingdom became a French protectorate in 1912. He was succeeded by his brother Yusuf.

King Hassan II of Morocco in 1966 Photo by Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-F022046-0011 / Wegmann, Ludwig / CC-BY-SA license

Yusuf's son Mohammed V, who became sultan in 1927, was a widely respected nationalist. He was deposed by the French in 1953, but the French returned Mohammed V to his throne in 1955. Morocco became independent the following year and Mohammed took the title of king.

Mohammed V died in 1961 and was succeeded by his son, King Hassan II. Although he was accused of human rights abuses, Hassan II is credited with maintaining unity in Morocco and working toward peace in the Middle East. He survived many attempts to topple him from his throne and permitted some democratic reforms.

King Hassan died in 1999 and was replaced as monarch by his son, King Mohammed VI. Like his father, King Mohammed had almost complete control over Morocco's government. After protests in 2011, the king proposed a new constitution restricting his powers. Voters accepted his plan, but critics said the changes did not go far enough and that the king still retained most of his power.

The king and his wife, Princess Lalla Salma, married in 2002. Their son, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, was born in 2003, followed by a daughter, Princess Lalla Khadija, in 2007.

Royal News From Morocco

• For activists, the King's reforms fall short

• Freed Moroccan rapper promises more protest songs

• Moroccan king unveils Islamist-led government
• New cabinet meets Morocco's King Mohammed VI (video)

• Anti-monarchy group quits February 20 movement
• Wikipedia - 2011 Moroccan protests

• Morocco king names classmate as top aide

• Princess inaugurates world's fifth biggest mall

• Emir of Qatar visits Morocco

• Morocco election tests depth of king's reforms

• King calls on Algeria to help in 'New Maghreb Order'

• Moroccans protest polls, violence in the capital

• Princess Lalla Aicha: Women's-rights activist (obituary)

• First Arab female ambassador Princess Lalla Aisha dies

• Thousands protest on king's allegiance day

• Moroccan king calls for better Algeria ties
• King say he favors reopening Algerian border (video)
• Moroccan king renews call to mend ties with Algeria

• Morocco king grants pardons ahead of speech

• Moroccan princesses reign in elegance

• Thousands rally in Morocco over reform plan

• Thousands protest in Morocco despite reform vote

• Moroccan king triumphs in reform vote
• Morocco votes on curbing king's powers (video)

• Morocco heads for vote on curbing king's powers
• Morocco considers greater reforms (video)
• Morocco's king is destroying hope for democracy

• Rival groups march over king's reforms in Morocco
• Moroccans take to streets over reform proposals (video)

• Why I reject Morocco's new constitution

• Little reprieve for Moroccan king with reform plan

• Thousands protest Moroccan king's reform plan (video)

• Several thousand protest Morocco reform plans
• Thousands protest in Morocco for more reform
• The king and the constitution (25-minute video)

• Morocco's king unveils reforms, curbs to own power
• Residents of Rabat celebrate King's reforms (video)
• Moroccan king fails to win over protest movement

• King to lose some powers, remain key figure
• King Mohammed announces constitutional reforms (video)
• Moroccan monarchy edges towards reform (video)
• Morocco's king bows to pressure and allows reform

• Moroccan reform to see cut in king's powers

• Many wounded as Moroccan police beat protestors

• Thousands march in new protest in Marrakesh

• King Mohammed visits the site of bombing

• Morocco's king visits site of Marrakesh bombing

• God save the Arab kings?

• Moroccan unions win wage hikes as protests grow

• Peaceful pro-democracy protests in Moroccan towns
• Thousands of protesters demand "a New Morocco"
• Protesters demand reform in Morocco (video)

King Mohammed VI of Morocco
Photo by Xiquet. Source: Wikimedia Commons
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license

• Morocco's king pardons 190 prisoners

• Charles, Camilla dine with king

• Charles and Camilla welcomed with milk in Morocco
• Prince of Wales lays wreath at Moroccan tyrant's tomb
• Charles and Camilla in Morocco, day 1 (photos)

• Thousands demonstrate in Morocco for rights, justice

• King's speech long on promises, short on details?

• Several hundred keep up protest pressure in Morocco

• Thousands in Morocco march for rights, end to graft

• Moroccan king's reform pledges draw high praise

• Morocco to vote on new constitution
• King: Constitution will be revised
• Morocco's King Mohammed pledges constitutional reform
• Morocco king announces constitutional reform plan

• Moroccan king can't ignore pressure to reform

• Moroccan king sets up new rights body

• King pardons jailed senior air force officer-lawyer
• Keeping up appearances

Books About Morocco

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Related Topics

African Royalty
History of Mali and Songhai
Royalty in the Middle East
Ancient Rome
World Royal News
World Royal History

Other Websites

CIA World Factbook: Morocco
Country Reference: Morocco Government
The Alawi Dynasty - Brief History
World Statesmen - Morocco
Columbia Encyclopedia - Abd al-Aziz IV
Columbia Encyclopedia - Abd al-Hafiz
Time.com: On the Road With the New King of Morocco
Moroccan King: Despot or Benevolent Autocrat?
Morocco's 'King of the Poor' Reveals Selfish Face
Morocco's King Hassan Dead at 70
BBC Obituary: King Hassan II
Hassan II: A Monarch Oriented Toward the West