# Abd al-Hafid of Morocco

Abd al-Hafid of Morocco (Arabic: عبد الحفيظ بن الحسن العلوي) or Moulay Abdelhafid (24 February 1875 – 4 April 1937) (Arabic: عبد الحفيظ) was the Sultan of Morocco from 1908 to 1912 and a member of the Alaouite Dynasty. His younger brother, Abdelaziz of Morocco, preceded him. While Mulay Abdelhafid initially opposed his brother for giving some concessions to foreign powers, he himself became increasingly backed by the French and finally signed the protectorate treaty giving de facto control of the country to France.

## Hafidiya

After his brother Abdelaziz appointed him as Khalifa of Marrakesh, Abdelhafid sought to have him overthrown by fomenting distrust over Abdelaziz's European ties. Abdelhafid was aided by Madani al-Glaoui, older brother of T'hami, one of the Caids of the Atlas. He was assisted in the training of his troops by Andrew Belton, a British officer and veteran of the Second Boer War. In February 1908, Abdelhafid was proclaimed the Sultan of Fes. For a brief period, Abdelaziz reigned from Rabat while Abdelhafid reigned in Marrakesh and Fes. In August 1908 Abdelaziz was defeated in battle. In 1909, Abdelhafid became the recognized leader of Morocco.
Writing contemporaneously about his rule in 1909, George Frederick Andrews says that Abdelhafid "must play a very shrewd game. To maintain his authority over the tribes he must continue to appear decidedly anti-European in his feelings and his policy. On the other hand he must have money and the money must come from Europe. Also he knows that Morocco must submit to such reforms as have been decreed by the conference of the powers."

## Despotism

Muhammad al-Kattani, the influential Sufi poet and activist of Fes, was captured, tortured, and beaten to death in front of his wives and children in 1909.
In 1910, Lalla Batoul, a Fesi aristocrat and the wife of a former governor of Fes and supporter of Abdelaziz, was tortured. She was chained to the wall in a crucifixion position, completely naked with her breasts seized in a vice, and whipped and interrogated about the whereabouts of her husband's fortune under the direct supervision of Abdelhafid. Walter Burton Harris reported on the incident in an article published in the Times of Morocco.

## Treaty of Fes, abdication, retirement and death

In 1911, rebellion broke out against the Sultan. This led to the Agadir Crisis, also known as the Second Moroccan Crisis. These events led Abdelhafid to sign the Treaty of Fez on 30 March 1912, which made Morocco a French protectorate.
A few months later, Resident-General Hubert Lyautey persuaded Abdel Hafid to abdicate against the payment of a massive pension, part of which was used to build the opulent Abdelhafid Palace in Tangier, completed in 1914. His brother Yusef was proclaimed Sultan by the French administration on 13 August 1912. Yusef was chosen by dignitaries of Rabat, to which he soon relocated to escape the instability in Fez. Abdel Hafid signed his abdication while already on the quay in Rabat, with the ship that would take him to France waiting. During his extended visit in France, he received a great deal of attention from the press. He later returned to Morocco to live in Tangier.
Abd al-Hafid died in Enghien-les-Bains, France, on 4 April 1937. His body was transported to Fez, where he was buried in the royal mausoleum of the Moulay Abdallah Mosque.
* Muhammad al-Muqri, Charles Émile Moinier [fr], Sultan Abd al-Hafid of Morocco, and Si Kaddour Benghabrit, 8 August 1912
* Abdelhafid with Abdelqader Ben Ghabrit in Marseille after his abdication 1912
* Abdel Hafid Palace in Tangier, main facade

## Marriages and children

By marriage five of Moulay Abd al-Hafid's children are recorded. He wedded four women:
* Lalla Rabia bint Madani el Glaoui, they married around 1905 and she died in 1924. together they had two sons and two daughters, among them:
** Moulay Idriss (b. 1905).
** Lalla Amina, in her first marriage she married Moulay Mohammed al-Hassan ben Yusef and in her second marriage she wedded Moulay Lafchar el Alaoui.
* Lalla Rabaha bint Mohammed el Zayyani, they married in December 1907. Whether they issued children is not stated.
* Lalla Ruqiya bint Mohammed al-Moqri, they married in July 1910. Together they had:
** Moulay Slimane Hafidi;
** Sidi Mohammed (b. 1917).
* Lalla Saadia bint Mohammed, their child is:
** HRH Prince Moulay Abdellah born in 1910 in Fez and died in September 1970 at Avicenne Hospital, Rabat. He was the husband of Chrifa Lalla Hnia daughter of Chrif Moulay Abdellah son of Prince Moulay Arafa son of Sultan Mohammed IV. Born in 1912 and died on 13 December 1990. His son is:
*** Doctor Prince Moulay Hafid Alaoui, born 30 December 1941 in Fes – died 6 January 2015 at the age of 74, he was a specialist in Internal Medicine. For his primary studies, he was educated at Ecole Douh which is located in sid lkhayyat, Fez. Then continued his secondary studies in the city of Casablanca at the Lyautey high school. This establishment has seen the birth of important political, intellectual, economic, artistic and sporting personalities, Moroccan and French. After his baccalaureate he continued his higher education at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Rabat which is a Moroccan public higher education institution of medicine and pharmacy created in 1962 by the late His Majesty the King Hassan II; he is affiliated with the University Mohammed V Rabat He thesis for obtaining the doctorate in medicine on 1 April 1972 under theme: contribution to the study of the gelatinous disease of the peritoneum (apropos of 3 cases). Appreciated for his human qualities, his strong attachment to the constants of the nation and his deep loyalty to the glorious Alaouite Throne, Dr. Moulay Hafid had accompanied the evolution of Ibn Al Khatib Hospital of Fes and of Al Ghassani Hospital over time and leaves his colleagues grateful for his accomplishments. He was and remains an example of honesty, simplicity, authenticity, generosity and integrity.

## Honors

* Grand Cross of the Legion d'Honneur of France (1909)