In 1699, Morocco's Sultan Moulay Ismail reportedly proposed marriage to Louis XIV's daughter, sparking a diplomatic mystery that continues to captivate historians and romantics alike.
In the 1720s, Mohammed Ben Ali Abgali was sent to England as Moulay Ismail’s ambassador to the English court. Once in London, he attended arts events and visited the country’s prestigious educational institution.
To free Tangier, seized by King Charles II of England, Moulay Ismail sent Ambassador Mohamed Ben Hadou to London. The latter became a popular figure in England and was invited to universities and honorable institutions.
An Austrian company is offering a historic handwritten letter by Sultan Moulay Ismail for 28,000 euros. Dating back to 1720, the letter holds significance for Moroccan history, as it relates to a peace treaty signed between Morocco and the United Kingdom.
Behind every strong man is an even stronger woman, a saying that applies to Zaydana. Known as a black, tall and manipulative woman, Lalla Aisha Mubarka was the chief spouse of Moulay Ismail who managed to sow seeds of mistrust between the sultan and his favorite son.
Sent by Moulay Ismail to the Netherlands, England and Spain, the Toledano brothers were members of a well respected family the Sultan relied on to maintain good diplomatic relations with Europe.
By the end of the 17th century, sultan Moulay Ismail decided to forcibly enslave all «blacks» in the Kingdom, including those who were free. Inspired by the Saadi dynasty, the sultan wanted to create an army based on slavery which angered Muslim scholars in Fez.
In the seveteenth century, sultan Moulay Ismail grouped Christian slaves in Meknes to build him a palace that would outshine «Louis XIV’s at Versailles». Trying to escape hard labor, these slaves paid smugglers to flee the powerful Alaouite sultan.