Ahmad al-Mansur

Who is Ahmad al-Mansur?

Ahmad al-Mansur, sometimes called al-Dhahabi ('the Golden'), was one of the most powerful and influential sultans of Morocco's Saadi dynasty, reigning from 1578 until his death in 1603. He came to the throne after the Battle of the Three Kings (Battle of Ksar el-Kebir / al-Wadi al-Makhazin) in 1578, in which three kings died and the Portuguese invasion force was crushed, greatly enhancing Moroccan prestige. He strengthened the state administration, developed a professional army with firearms, and pursued extensive diplomatic relations with the Ottoman Empire, England (including correspondence with Elizabeth I) and other European powers. In 1591 he launched a bold trans-Saharan military expedition that conquered the Songhai Empire and seized control of the gold and salt trade around Timbuktu and Gao, bringing considerable wealth to Morocco. He also sponsored architecture, notably the lavish El Badi Palace in Marrakesh.

Sources: Mercedes García-Arenal, 'Ahmad al-Mansur: The Beginnings of Modern Morocco' (Oneworld, 2009) · Stephen Cory, 'Reviving the Islamic Caliphate in Early Modern Morocco' (Ashgate, 2013)