Wattasid dynasty

TheWattasid dynasty(Arabic:الوطاسيون,al-waṭṭāsīyūn) was a ruling dynasty ofMorocco.Like theMarinid dynasty,its rulers were ofZenataBerberdescent.The two families were related, and the Marinids recruited manyviziersfrom the Wattasids.These viziers assumed the powers of the Sultans, seizing control of the Marinid dynasty's realm when the last Marinid, Abu Muhammad Abd al-Haqq, who had massacred many of the Wattasids in 1459, was murdered during a popular revolt inFezin 1465.

Wattasid dynasty الوطاسيون
1472–1554
Map of the Wattasid sultanate (dark red) and its vassal states (light red)
Status	Ruling dynasty of Morocco Vassal of theOttoman Empirefrom 1526
Capital	Fez
Common languages	Berber languages Arabic
Religion	Sunni Islam
Government	Monarchy
Sultan
• 1472-1504	Abu Abd Allah al-Sheikh Muhammad ibn Yahya
• 1545-1547	Nasir al-Qasri
History
• Established	1472
•Battle of Tadla	1554
Currency	Dirham
Preceded by Succeeded by Marinid dynasty Saadi Sultanate

Abu Abd Allah al-Sheikh Muhammad ibn Yahyawas the first Sultan of the Wattasid Dynasty. He controlled only the northern part of Morocco, the south being divided into several principalities. The Wattasids were finally supplanted in 1554, after theBattle of Tadla,by theSaadi dynastyprinces ofTagmadertwho had ruled all of southern Morocco since 1511.

Overview

Morocco endured a prolonged multifaceted crisis in the 15th and early 16th centuries brought about by economic, political, social and cultural issues. Population growth remained stagnant and traditional commerce with the far south was cut off as thePortugueseoccupied all seaports. At the same time, the towns were impoverished, and intellectual life was on the decline.

History

Morocco was in decline when the Berber Wattasids assumed power. The Wattasid family had been the autonomous governors of the easternRifsince the late 13th century, ruling from their base in Tazouta (near present-dayNador). They had close ties to the Marinid sultans and provided many of the bureaucratic elite. While theMarinid dynastytried to repel the Portuguese and Spanish invasions and help the kingdom ofGranadato outlive theReconquista,the Wattasids accumulated absolute power through political maneuvering. When the Marinids became aware of the extent of the conspiracy, they slaughtered the Wattasids, leaving onlyAbu Abd Allah al-Sheikh Muhammad ibn Yahyaalive. He went on to found theKingdom of Fezand establish the dynasty to be succeeded by his son, Mohammed al-Burtuqali, in 1504.

The Wattasid rulers failed in their promise to protect Morocco from foreign incursions and the Portuguese increased their presence on Morocco's coast. Mohammad al-Chaykh's son attempted to captureAsilahandTangierin 1508, 1511 and 1515, but without success.

In the south, a new dynasty arose, the Saadian dynasty, which seizedMarrakeshin 1524 and made it their capital. By 1537 the Saadis were in the ascendent when they defeated thePortuguese EmpireatAgadir.Their military successes contrast with the Wattasid policy of conciliation towards theCatholickings to the north.

As a result, the people of Morocco tended to regard the Saadians as heroes, making it easier for them to retake the Portuguese strongholds on the coast, including Tangiers,CeutaandMaziɣen.The Saadians also attacked the Wattasids who were forced to yield to the new power. In 1554, as Wattasid towns surrendered, the Wattasid sultan,Ali Abu Hassun,brieflyretook Fez.The Saadis quickly settled the matter by killing him and, as the last Wattasids fled Morocco by ship, they too were murdered by pirates.

The Wattasid did little to improve general conditions in Morocco following theReconquista.It was necessary to wait for the Saadians for order to be reestablished and the expansionist ambitions of the kingdoms of the Iberian peninsula to be curbed.

Coinage

Known Wattasid coins include a few extremely rare gold coins and also square silverdirhamsand half dirhams, still following theAlmohad Caliphatestandard of roughly 1.5 grams.

The dynasty

Wattasid Viziers

• 1420–1448:Abu Zakariya Yahya al-Wattasi
• 1448–1458: Ali ibn Yusuf
• 1458–1459: Yahya ibn Abi Zakariya Yahya

Wattasid Sultans

• 1472–1504:Abu Abd Allah al-Sheikh Muhammad ibn Yahya
• 1504–1526:Abu Abd Allah al-Burtuqali Muhammad ibn Muhammad
• 1526–1526:Abu al-Hasan Abu Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad
• 1526–1545:Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad
• 1545–1547:Nasir ad-Din al-Qasri Muhammad ibn Ahmad
• 1547–1549:Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad
• 1554–1554:Abu al-Hasan Abu Hasun Ali ibn Muhammad

Family tree

Family tree of the Wattasid dynasty

Wattasid Vizier Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Ziyan al-Wattasi r. 1420-1448 Wattasid Vizier Yahya ibn Yahya r. 1458-1459 1 Abu Abd Allah al-Sheikh Muhammad ibn Yahya r. 1472-1504 2 Abu Abd Allah al-Burtuqali Muhammad ibn Muhammad r. 1504-1526 3 Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad r. 1526-1545, 1547-1549 5 Abu al-Hasan Abu Hasun Ali ibn Muhammad r. 1549-1554 4 Nasir al-Din al-Qasri Muhammad ibn Ahmad r. 1545-1547

Chronology of events

• According to theTreaty of Alcáçovas(1479), and to theTreaty of Tordesillas(1494),Spainrecognized the kingdom as being in thePortuguesesphere of influence.
• 1485: Treaty with Spain: The sultanate agrees to not help theKingdom of Granada,Spain agreed to not capture Moroccan ships in theAlboran Sea.
• 1488: Portuguese conquerSafi.
• 1491:Muhammad XIII, Sultan of Granada(El Zagal) went to Fez, but was captured and blinded.
• 1492: Arrival of Spanish Muslims and Jews.
• 1497: Spain capturesMelilla
• 1502: Portugal capturesMazagan.
• 1505: Portugal capturesAgadir.
• 1506: Portugal capturesMogador.
• 1511:SaadianscaptureRabat.
• 1524: Saadians captureMarrakesh.
• 1541: Saadians captureAgadir.
• 1541: Saadians captureSafi.
• 1542: Hasan Hâsim captures Tetuan.
• 1548: The last wattasid king is captured by the Saadians.
• 1550: Saadians conquer Fez.

See also

• List of rulers of Morocco

Sources

• Brancato, Dario (2014). "'Leo Africanus' and His Worlds of Translation ". In Federici, F.; Tessicini, D. (eds.).Translators, Interpreters, and Cultural Negotiators: Mediating and Communicating Power from the Middle Ages to the Modern Era.Palgrave Macmillan.
• Bosworth, C.E. (1996).The New Islamic Dynasties.Columbia University Press.