Western Maghreb - The Sunset - Morocco - A Brief History

Ancient Morocco was populated by the Berbers  - a people of uncertain descent. But it's location at the northwest tip of Africa, as part of the Mahgreb - and possession of one half the Pillars of Hercules, made it a constant target for ancient and not so ancient civilizations to conquer. Between the 8th and 6th century BC it was ruled by the Phoenicians, then in the 5th c Carthage extended itself west into the coastal areas of Morocco. The Berbers regained control in the 3rd C BC but the Roman Empire marched in around 40 BC and held control until the mid 5th C A.D when the Vandals overran the area. In the 6th c. AD the Byzantines moved in for 200 years but were themselves overrun by the Muslims in the 8th century.

Different Muslim dynasties ruled Morocco from then on - and under the Almoravid and the Almohad dynasties, Morocco dominated Muslim Spain and the Maghreb (western North Africa) as well.  Ferdinand and Isabella conquered the last Muslim city in Spain -Sevilla- in 1492 drving them back across the channel-  the Alaouites have ruled from 1667 onward.

Colonial Europe had their eye on the prize as well, and in 1906 Germany attempted to wrest France and Spain from Morocco. The Treaty of Fez was finally signed on March 30, 1912, dividing Morocco into French and Spanish protectorates. In 1956, after 44 years of French rule, Morocco regained independence from France, and shortly afterward regained most of the territories under Spanish control.

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