Mohammed ech-Cheikh

Moulay Mohammed ech-Cheikh ech-Cherif al-Hassani ad-Darai at-Tagmadert ( Arabic مولاي محمد الشيخ الشريف الحسني, DMG Mūlāy Muḥammad aš-Šaiḫ aš-Šarīf al-Ḥassanī ; † 1557 ) was sheikh and the first sultan of the Saadians in Morocco (1544–1557).

After the death of Sheikh Abu Abdallah al-Qa'im (1517), Mohammad ech-Cheikh took over the leadership of the Saadians in the fight against the Portuguese alongside his older brother Ahmed al-Araj . First successes against the Ouattasids were achieved with the conquest of Marrakech (1524) .

However, there was a break between the brothers in 1544, with Ahmed al-Araj allied with the Ouattasids under Bou Hassoun . Nevertheless, Mohammad ech-Cheikh was able to assert himself in southern Morocco and gained a high reputation among the population with the expulsion of the Portuguese from Agadir (1541) and other Atlantic ports . After the reorganization of the army based on the Ottoman model, he succeeded in conquering Fez and overthrowing the Ouattasids in 1549 . Although they were able to occupy Fez again under Bou Hassoun with Ottoman help in 1554, the Saadian rule was secured with the victory of the Saadians and the death of Bou Hassoun.

In order to fend off the claims of the Ottomans , Mohammed ech-Cheikh accepted the title of caliph and allied himself with Spain . This was at the same time in the fight against the corsairs of Algiers and Tunis . Inside, Mohammed ech-Cheikh tried to curb the influence of the brotherhoods and marabouts . The Saadian rule was further secured through the organization of a functioning tax system and the development of a strong mercenary army . However, Mohammed ech-Cheikh was murdered by Ottoman agents in 1557. His son Abdallah al-Galib (1557–1574) succeeded him in Morocco.

literature

• Ulrich Haarmann : History of the Arab World. Edited by Heinz Halm . 4th revised and expanded edition. CH Beck, Munich 2001, ISBN 3-406-47486-1 ( Beck's historical library ).
• Stephan Ronart, Nandy Ronart: Lexicon of the Arab World. A historical-political reference work. Artemis Verlag, Zurich et al. 1972, ISBN 3-7608-0138-2 .