ENCYCLOPAEDIA LONDINENSIS; 
OR, AN 
UNIVERSAL DICTIONARY 
OF 
ARTS, SCIENCES, and LITERATURE. 
V 
MOROCCO. 
M QROC'CO, an empire of Africa, comprehending a 
confiderable part of the ancient Mauritania, is 
bounded on the weft by the Atlantic Ocean; on the eaft 
by the river Mulvya, which feparates it from Algiers; on 
the north by the Mediterranean; and on the fouth by 
Mount Atlas, or rather by the river Sus, which divides it 
from the kingdom of Tafilet. Its greateft length is from 
the north-eaft to the fouth-weft, amounting to above 590 
miles; its breadth is not above 260 where broadeft, and 
in the narroweft places it is not above half that breadth. 
The ancient hiftory of Morocco has been already given 
under the article Mauritania, vol. xiv. It continued 
under the dominion of the Romans upwards of 400 years. 
On the decline of that empire it fell under the Goths, 
who held it till about the year 600, when the Goths were 
driven out by the Vandals, the Vandals by the Greeks, 
and they in their turn by the Saracens, who conquered 
not only this empire, but we may fay the whole conti¬ 
nent of Africa; at leaft the religion, one way or other, 
is to be found in all parts of it. The Saracen empire did 
not continue long united under one head, and many 
princes fet up for themfelves in Africa as well as elfe- 
where, through whofe diflenfions the Almoravides were 
at length raifed to the lovereignty, as related under the 
article Algiers, vol. i. p. 324. Yufef, or Jofepli, the fe- 
cond monarch of that line, built the city of Morocco, 
conquered the kingdom of Fez, and the Moorifti domi¬ 
nions in Spain ; all which were loft by his grandfon Abu 
Ali, who was defeated and killed by the Spaniards. On 
this prince’s death the crown palled to the Mo/iedians, or 
Almohedes; with whom it had not continued above three 
generations, when Mahomet the fon of A 1 Manfur loft 
the famous battle of Naves de Tolofe, (July 12, 1212.) 
in which 200,000 Moors were (lain, and in confequence 
of which Alphonlo IX. retook a great many of the Moorifti 
conquefts immediately after. 
Mahomet returned to Africa in difgrace, and foon af¬ 
ter died, leaving his empire to Said Barrax, one of his 
grandfons. After the death of Said, who was aflaflinated, 
the principal perfons of the Mohedians elected his uncle, 
Abdul Cader, in his room; but this prince, not able to 
fecure the confidence of the people, was obliged to fur- 
render his power to Abdallah, of the race of the Iicniine- 
rins, who was the firft of that dynafty that pofiefled him- 
felf of the fovereign authority. Abdallah was fucceeded 
by his fon ; and his death made way for the accefiion of 
his uncle Ben-Jofeph, who wholly deprived the Molie- 
dians of their power. The kingdom of Morocco, by this 
change of its monarchs, loft the fovereignty of Spain ; 
but Ben-Jofeph, unoccupied with foreign conquefts or 
government, eftablilhed more firmly his authority in Mau¬ 
ritania. In 1275, however, he palled over into Spain; and, 
Vol. XVI. No. 1088, 
having committed various ravages in the kingdom of 
Andalufia, returned into Africa. Ben-Jofeph was fuc¬ 
ceeded by his fon Abu-Said, who, like his father, made 
feveral expeditions into Spain, all of which were unfuc- 
cefsful. His reign was tranquil until the year 1303, when 
his fon occupied the throne which was vacated by his 
death; and he was fucceeded in 1318 by Jofeph-Ben- 
Jacob. After the death of this monarch, Abul-Hafian, 
his fon, took pofleflion of the throne ; and, by various mi¬ 
litary operations in Spain, involved himfelf in expenfes, 
which, joined to his ill fuccefs, produced murmurs among 
his fubje£ls, of which one of his fons, named Abdalha- 
raman, availing himfelf, drew over feveral tribes to his 
fupport. Abu-Hennon, another of his fons, inlligated a 
rebellion againft him, and ultimately fucceeding, took 
pofleftion of the kingdom in 1354, and remained in quiet 
pofteftlon of it till his death in 1409, when he was fuc¬ 
ceeded by his fon, Abu-Said, a prince addicted to pleafure 
and debauchery; in confequence of which, feveral in¬ 
ternal commotions made way for the fuccefllon of his foil 
Abdallah, in the year 1423. Abdallah reigned with juf» 
tice for feveral years, but at length was flain by an inha¬ 
bitant of Fez, who was a Jharif, and who was proclaimed 
as fovereign inftead of Abdallah, with whom terminated 
the family of the Benimerins. This fharif was overpow¬ 
ered by Muley-Shaik who was the firft of the kings of 
the race called Merini, the defeendants of a branch of 
the Benimerins. 
The family of Merini were unable to maintain their 
authority, and the kingdoms of Fez and Morocco conti¬ 
nued in a ftate of anarchy till the beginning of the 16th 
century. At this time a Moor of the province of Dara, 
whofe name was Mahomet-Ben-Achmet, calling himfelf 
a fharif and defeendant of the prophet, availed himfelf of 
the opportunity that prefented itfelf for accomplifhing 
his projects of ambition. With this view he lent his 
three fons, in 1508, in pilgrimage to Mecca, who, on 
their return, were highly honoured by the Moors. Hav¬ 
ing thus eftablifhed their reputation, their father profe- 
cuted his fcheme of ambition. At length Achmet, the 
eldeft of his three fons, aided by the principal men of 
Morocco, was proclaimed king. In procefs of time, the 
power and the ambition of the fharifs advanced together; 
and two of the brothers divided their conquefts; the 
eldeft, Muley Achmet, retained Morocco; and Muley 
Mahomet took up his refidence at Tarudant, by which 
they could mutually fuccour each other againft the Por- 
tuguefe and their allies, who were mafters of the greateft 
part of the weftern coaft, from the cape of Aguer to the 
province of Duquella inclufive. After a variety of fuc- 
ceffive contentions between thefe two brothers, Muley 
Mahomet, having feized on the kingdom of Fez, fent 
If M uley 
