Muhammad al-Sheikh al-Mahdi

Abu Zakaria Muhammad al-Sheikh al-Mahdi ( Arabic أبو زكرياء محمد الشيخ المهدي, DMG Abū Zakariyāʾ Muḥammad aš-Šayḫ al-Mahdī ; † 1505 ) was the first sultan of the Wattasids of Morocco (1465–1505)

Muhammad al-Sheikh al-Mahdi belonged to the Berber clan of the Wattasids, who as viziers had almost completely disempowered the Merinids since the mid- 14th century . When the Merinid sultan Abdalhaqq II tried to get rid of the Wattasid dominance through a massacre in 1458, only Muhammad al-Sheikh al-Mahdi and a brother managed to escape to northern Morocco. There he gathered troops in Asilah for the fight against the Sultan. After Abdalhaqq's assassination (1465), Muhammad claimed rule in Morocco and was able to enforce this claim with the submission of the Imamate of Fès in 1472. In order to be able to subjugate Fez, however, he had to conclude an armistice with Portugal in 1471 and recognize its conquests (including Tangier ).

Despite the armistice, Portugal took advantage of the country's weakness and occupied all Atlantic ports to gain control of Moroccan trade. After 1497, Spain began to occupy the ports on the Moroccan Mediterranean coast - for example, Melilla was conquered. All these conquests could hardly be opposed.

The passivity of the Wattasids towards Portugal led to considerable discontent among the population. However, it must be recognized that a struggle against Portugal has hardly been successful. Although Muhammad el-Sheikh was formally recognized as ruler throughout the country, his authority among the Berber tribes was low. Only in northern Morocco and in the big cities could the Wattasids at least partially assert their influence.

Muhammad al-Sheikh al-Mahdi was succeeded by his son Abdallah Muhammad (1505-1524).

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 .