Travel to Morocco

Dean of the imperial cities, Fez was founded in 789 AD by Idris I, a descendant of the prophet. His son, Sultan Idriss II, decided in 809 to establish the seat of the dynasty. From 818, the Sultan in his city hosts 8,000 families Andalusian Muslims. Seven years later, this new population is strengthened by the arrival of Jews and Kairouan (Tunisia). Rich heritage of these multiple religious, cultural and architectural, Fez quickly became the religious and cultural center of Morocco.


Therefore, despite the dynastic wars and periods where it was not the official capital, the imperial city has never ceased to grow and beautify. Nowadays, Fez is probably the most authentic North African city. Intellectual influence of his Koranic university, its famous mosque Karaouiyne, its treasures of Arab-Andalusian art, the medieval medina of Fez el-Bali and its talented artisans make the guardian of the traditions of Islam.

Idris I, founder At the end of the eighth century, persecuted by the Abbasids of Baghdad Idriss took refuge among the Berbers of central Morocco. In 789, he founded his capital on the right bank of the Oued Fes.

It will be the first Islamic city. His younger son, Idriss II, welcomes hundreds of Arabs from central Maghreb and Spain. The Andalusian district - El Adwa - was founded by Muslim refugees from Spain in 818 Nearly 1400 families Andalusian Cordoba arrivals settled there. Seven years later evicted from Kairouan (now Tunisia), three hundred artisans and traders rich, educated, accustomed to urban life families, are west of the river in the area known as The Sahara Kairouanais veiled, Youssef Ben Tachfine, besieged Fez in 1063 and enters the city in 1069.

The writer Abu Obeid al-Bakri described it as "Fez consists of two cities, one next to each other and surrounded by a wall, they are separated by a river that is very fast turn mills. and which is crossed by bridges. "Both cities have a large population with a strong Jewish minority. The Almoravid winner is quick to shoot down the walls, to establish a single enclosure and building, away, a fortress. Founder of Marrakech, the new ruler does not choose Fez as capital. However, the city experienced an artistic and intellectual growth marked by the construction in 1096 of the COLLEGE OF PATIENTS ALMORAVIDES, Madrassah equipped with a library, and the reopening of the road to the gold saharienne.La pulpit the top of which the preacher at the end of his sermon, preaches the glory of the dynasty in place, is the symbol of political power and religieux.Le Fatimid period panel (above) and the Umayyad era record (the cons ) are evidence of the fierce war between the Fatimids and the Umayyads to the takeover.

In 985, Umayyad Caliph signed his victory by providing the minbar in this new folder. Royal procession. Every Friday the sultant went to the Great Mosque, accompanied by his black guard holding, pageantry and preceded by horsemen and foot soldiers who departed the enthusiastic crowd to leave the field open to the royal procession. He joined the faithful during Friday prayers.

ALMOHAD Abd el-Moumem the middle of the twelfth century the Almohad Sultan Abd el-Moumem captured the city, "frequented by travelers from every country." Its inhabitants traded with Spain, the central Maghreb, Sahara, East and even some Christian countries. Andalusian refugees hosted in Fez, introducing new techniques of silk weaving leather working and metals. At the end of the twelfth century, Fez has one hundred and twenty thousand houses and, in the early thirteenth century, three thousand five hundred factories. The prosperous city.


The APOGEE
In the first half of the thirteenth century, weakness Almohad benefits the Marinids. Fez again became the capital of the empire in 1250, for two centuries. Sovereign mérinides are emerging as great builders. They are a prestigious city of Fez. It's golden age in the early fourteenth century. The Marinids oscillate between two policies: the expansion of their power in North Africa and the resumption of traditional south-north axis oriented towards Spain. Fez, the hub of these operations, is adopting a new administrative city.

Fez el-Jadid. Inside the chamber, stood palaces, mosques, fortresses and barracks. The madrassas are under special care. These spaces serve as prayer centers for policy frameworks to ensure the Islamization of imperial Maghreb unity of North Africa from the west. From the early fifteenth century, international trade is flourishing. Merchants depart for China, India, East Africa, Persia. Fassi sell grain leather and Portugal import tissues and English industrial products exporting leather and carpet in Europe. In 1437, the discovery of the tomb of Idriss runs a popular worship for the city's patron. The Jewish Quarter is created near the palace of the Jamai family.

In the second half of the fifteenth century, Fez is affected by the unrest prevailing in the Kingdom by the end of the Marinids. It is marked by the appearance of the new dynasty Beni Wattas in 1471, with the arrival of Muslims and Jews expelled from Spain in 1492 and, indirectly, by the arrival of the Portuguese in the Atlantic ports.

The success of the South chorfa Saadian allow winners to move to Marrakech in 1524 and capture of Fez in 1549 the city lost its status as capital in favor of Marrakech. In the early seventeenth century, Fez knows plagues, famine, poverty and civil war depopulated the city.


POLITICAL POWER
In 1666, Moulay Rachid restored order, boost trade and again chooses Fez as capital.

After a long period of unrest in the first half of the eighteenth century, the city would return to calm and prestige in the eighteenth century, thanks to the alliance between the army and the leaders of the old University of Qaraouiyne, to seat a real political force. Competition from the emerging economy of Casablanca, Fez maintains its intellectual and commercial religious radiation.

THE PROTECTORATE In 1911, Moulay Hafid, faced with an insurgency, appealed to French troops. A few months later, in March 1912, he signed the Convention of Fez, the Treaty establishing the French protectorate over Morocco. It was then that develops the modern city, called European, following a very regular town plan. This new city coexists with the old and Fez, an ancient city, is able to protect his inner self while opening modernism. Fez gives status capital Rabat later, but will remain the spiritual capital of Morocco that deep in history.