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During the 17th century and under Moulay Ismail’s reign, the Alaouite court relied on three Jewish families to maintain good diplomatic relations with Europe. Worried by the Muslim rebellious families in Fes, the powerful Sultan entrusted the Toledano, Maimran and Benattar families with the task of negotiating treaties with the Netherlands, Spain, and England.
It all started for the three Jewish families when Joseph Maimran, a Jewish merchant in Meknes, informed Moulay Ismail, who was at the time governor of the city, about his brother’s death, reports Morshet-Morocco, a platform that highlights Moroccan-Jewish history and heritage.
Maimran and the royal court
The powerful trader had even lent Ismail money to immediately ascend the throne after Moulay Al-Rashid died in Marrakech. Years later, Joseph Maimran passed away in a tragic accident and his son Abraham Maimran was summoned by the Alaouite Sultan.
According to the same source, Abraham became Moulay Ismail’s advisor on matters related to foreign affairs and gained much respect for it, both within and beyond the borders of Morocco. «He was a devoted assistant who defended the Emperor’s interests during the second half of his reign, and increased taxes to finance his endless wars and titanic works», wrote the same source.
Through the status of the Maimran (cousins), the Toledano family was able to find its way to the royal court in Meknes. In fact, several members of the family managed to hold powerful positions.
Joseph and Haim Toledano
In the 1680s, and after Moulay Ismail realized that Morocco’s diplomatic ties with Holland were about to collapse he «dispatched to the Netherlands Joseph Toledano, a relative of Joseph Maimran», wrote Haim Zeev Hirschberg in his book «A History of the Jews in North Africa: From the Ottoman conquests to the present time» (Brill, 1981).
The mission headed by Joseph Toledano was sent after the Dutch promised to conclude a treaty with Morocco.
According to Hirschberg, Toledano had to make the «Dutch authorities ratify the next of the treaty, whose articles 7 and 9 differed from the corresponding articles of the treaty with Algeria».
Chosen in view of Joseph Maimran’s exalted position, Toledano managed to conduct successful negotiations in Holland and the treaty was finally ratified in May 1683.
On March 12, 1685, Joseph left the Netherlands for Morocco. Three years later (1688), the Jewish diplomat returned to the European country and «presented his credentials to the States General», says the same source.
Meanwhile, Joseph’s brother Haim Toledano was also active as a diplomat. In the same book, Hirschberg recalled that «in the middle of 1684, Heddendorp and Joseph Toledano's brother (Probably Haïm, mentioned in contemporary documents) proceeded to Meknes to obtain Ismail's final ratification».
Haim, however, was entrusted with a different mission. The diplomat was sent after «tension developed between the two countries» early in the 1690s.
«The probable cause was the discontinuance of the supply of arms and ammunition by the Dutch. Ismail regarded this as an indication that they intended to terminate the peace treaty and he in turn contemplated denouncing it».
In the account relayed by Hirschberg, the Dutch «disclaimed any intention of breaking off relations».
Missions to England and Spain
In 1692, Haim was able to make the Netherlands extend the 1684 treaty, concluded by his brother, and free Dutch captives. During the same year, the diplomat was also sent to England, indicates Leila Maziane, doctor and professor of Modern History at the University of Hassan II in Mohammedia, in her book «Salé ses Corsaires 1666-1727».
Joseph and Haim were not the only members of the Toledano family to be dispatched by Moulay Ismail in diplomatic missions. According to Haim Zeev Hirschberg, Moses Toledano arrived in the Netherlands in 1698. He was «sent to convince the State General of the honesty of Ismail's intentions towards their country».
Moses was granted an audience by the Dutch State General in July 1699 and a special commission was formed to investigate his claims.
«While the deliberations of the commission were in progress, Toledano concerned himself with the manufacture of rifles. Ultimately, his claim was allowed and he received 6.000 florins», clarified the author.
Making reference to one of the Toledano’s diplomatic missions, historian Nabil Matar wrote in his book «Europe through Arab Eyes, 1578-1727» (Columbia University Press, 2009) that in 1717 a Jewish diplomat called Toledano was sent to Spain by Moulay Ismail. Surprisingly, the diplomat was treated differently once on Spanish soil.
«The ambassador and his Jewish retinue were not permitted to disembark and conduct business. He was unaware that while Jews were free to live and work in North Africa, they were not even permitted to dock in the Christian land of the Spanish taghiya», explained Matar.
The Toledano were known for their proximity to the court but also for their diplomatic missions and businesses and their family name was associated with the Maimran and Benattar families that marked the history of Moroccan Jews in the Kingdom.
