The 16th century cough, a mysterious respiratory disease that ravaged Morocco

By the end of the 16th century, a mysterious respiratory disease that killed hundreds of people hit Morocco. The illness was called «K’hikiha», in reference to coughing that was one of its annoying and persistent symptoms.

Ahmed al-Mansur, the sixteenth century Moroccan sultan who died of the plague

He fled his beautiful palace in Marrakech and spent months in the countryside to avoid contagion. Saadi sultan Ahmed al-Mansur ended up dying of the plague despite the preventive measures he had taken.

Poisoned cooking oil, Morocco’s most tragic sanitary catastrophe

In 1959, Morocco witnessed one of the most tragic sanitary catastrophes, with hundreds of people suffering from a mystifying paralysis. The crisis was managed a year later when the source of the disabling disease was finally revealed.

Moroccans and their first experience of quarantine during an epidemic

On Friday, Morocco declared a state of heath emergency to deal with the spread of coronavirus. The decsion is not the first of its kind as in the 18th and 19th centuries, the plague forced the Kingdom to impose a nationwide quarantine.

Jewish pilgrimage in Morocco #33 : Eliezer Davila, the Rabbi who saved Rabat

Eliezer Davila is a chief rabbi who reportedly saved Rabat from a tsunami caused by the Lisbon earthquake in 1755.

Jewish pilgrimage in Morocco #32 : Pinhas Ha-Cohen, the holy savior of Pasha El Glaoui

Rabbi Pinhas Ha-Cohen was born in Souss and lived in Marrakech. In the city, he saved the Pasha’s life twice and brought about many miracles in his lifetime.

Jewish pilgrimage in Morocco #31 : Haim Messas, a Meknes dedicated Rabbi

Rabbi Haim Messas is a Jewish saint who lived in the city of Meknes. He was the master of several known disciples and was known for helping the city’s poor.

Morocco’s secret Broken Arrow : When an atomic bomb caught fire in the US Sidi Slimane base

A Boeing B-47 Stratojet carrying an atomic bomb caught fire in a US military base in Sidi Slimane in 1958. The incident was kept a secret and recorded as one of America's most serious Broken Arrows.

Jewish pilgrimage in Morocco #30 : Daniel Hashomer Ashkenazi, a saint venerated by Jews and Muslims

Rabbi Daniel Hashomer Ashkenazi is buried in the village of Tagouna, where several miracles have taken place, according to the account of Moroccan Jews. The saint, venerated by Muslims and Jews, is known for his healing powers.

Jewish pilgrimage in Morocco #29 : Chalom Zaoui, the «angel» of Rabat's Jewish community

Rabbi Chalom Zaoui is a Jewish saint born and buried in Rabat. His synagogue is at the heart of the city’s Jewish quarter.