Merinides - 1268-1465
The Beni-Merins or Merinids were nomads who ranged the desert between Biskra and the Tafilelt. It was not a religious upheaval that drove them to the conquest of Morocco. The demoralized Almohads called them in as mercenaries to defend their crumbling empire; and the Merinids came, drove out the Almohads, and replaced them. The conquest of the Algarves overthrew the Almohadi power in Spain, which was about to give way in Africa to the dynasty of the Merinides, who were already possessed of a great part of Magreb, and who were about to become masters of Morocco, 1269.
The Beni Marin were a tribe of Nomadic Zenata Berbers who came from an area between Taza and Algeria. The policy of the Merinides in running the affairs of Morocco was enlightened they the first Moroccans to introduce a simple form of civil service. They were also the first to introduce the Mellah, or Jewish quarters in all major tows, so that the Jewish could live secure and unmolested. The Merinides were also the first to introduce the concept of Medersa(originated from Baghdad and later on introduced to Egypt). Fez is liberally scattered with fine examples within easy walking distance of the Karawiyine. Sultan Abu Inan built the Bou Inania Medersa in Fez.
The Mussulmans of Murcia and some other provinces, revolting, under the protection of the king of Grenada and of the Merinides of Africa, the Castillians were, for a time, expelled, but they soon afterwards recovered their possessions. The invasion of AbouYousef-Yacoub, king of Fez, in 1275, seemed the prelude to a new dominion, but the courage of the Infant, Sancho the Brave, preserved Spain from the danger.
The Merinide Soltans surrounded themselves with scholars who could lecture not only about Koran but also about science and law, poetry and geography. The well-known traveller Ibn Batuta( 1304-78) was an honored member of the court of Abou Inan who gave him a secretary to write down stories of his travels as in the black Sea and Tambouktoo. Ibn Khaldoun, the 14th Century historian and a Spanish Muslim spent many years as adviser and close associate of Merinide Sultans.
Architecture under the Merinides became lighter, more delicate, and much more decorated. While the Almoravides are associated primarily with Marrakech, and the Almohades with Marrakech and Rabat, the Merinides left their great works in all of Morocco's major cities. In Fez, the new city, Fez Jadid, was founded by the Merinides; mosques; medersas, hospitals, gardens, and fountains of their construction are found in Salé, Taza, and Ceuta, as well as in the imperial cities. Magnificently and luxuriously decorated, the buildings show an increased use of pendant plasterwork modifying the curve of the arch, floors and courts of marble mosaic, lower walls decorated in tile inlay and upper walls by geometrical carving in plaster.
After the battle of Toloso, in Andalusia, in 1212, when the power of the Almohad kings had been shaken in Spain, the wealthy and talented chief of the Merinid family in Africa, Abd-al-HakYahia, Ebn-Bekr, from Teza, in the province of Schaus, cast of Fez, rose in arms against the ruling Almohad dynasty, and his son Abu-Bekr I. conquered the capital on the 20th of August, 1248. The Merinids rapidly obtained possession of the whole fertile and prosperous regions of Magreb-alAksa (214).
The sixty years which followed the death of Alphonso X. till the capture of Algesiras, 1344, may be considered as the last period of warfare between the Christians of Europe and the Mussulmans of Africa. Having weakened the Castillian monarchy, the Moors of Grenada made an alliance with the Merinides of Morocco, in hopes of establishing the Mussulman preponderance once more in the peninsula. The victory of the Christians on the banks of the Salado, in 1340, was followed, four years afterwards, by the capture of Algesiras, and from this time no farther war was carried on by Africa against the peninsula, except in its own defence. No longer menaced by the infidels, Spain ceased to inspire any interest; with its dangers terminated also its glory, and the liberties of the people diminished in proportion as their national independence became secure.
Abul-Hassan, the Merinid, raised -his standard about AD 1350 over the whole Barbary coast; the eastern dynasties were forced to recognize the supremacy of the Merinids, yet the maritime expeditions of the Portuguese, and particularly their conquest of Ceuta in 1415, so much distracted the kings of Morocco, that many of their vassals again threw off their allegiance, and thus forwarded the ambitious designs of the Christians.
By the end of the fourteenth century, the Merinides would finally forge a coalition with other tribes to steer Morocco away from anarchy and protect its shores from the imperialist designs of Christian Europe. When the dynasty was feebled, Spain and Portugal were turning eyes towards Morocco. At that time, there was another ruler, Ibn Wattas, who came from Asilah to Fez. When he left Asilah, the Portugueuse invaded Asilah and took many family members of Ibn Wattas and 5000 people as slaves, then Ibn Wattas signed a treaty with Portugal which allowed the Portugueuse to invade Asilah, Tangier, Essaouira (Mogador) Mazagan (El Jadida) Zemmour, Safi and Agadir and Ceuta. So, for a time, almost the entire west coast of Morocco became a seperate Portugueuse colony.
