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History of Morocco
From antiquity to the modern era — the historical eras, key events, and narrative that shaped Morocco.
Overview
Morocco’s strategic location has shaped its history. Beginning with the Phoenicians, many foreigners were drawn to this area. Romans, Vandals, Visigoths, and Byzantine Greeks successively ruled the area. Arab forces began occupying Morocco in the seventh century A.D., bringing their civilization and Islam. The Alaouite dynasty, which has ruled Morocco since 1649, claims descent from the Prophet Muhammad.
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Historical Eras
The major periods of {country}’s history at a glance.
Ancient & Roman Morocco
1100 BCE – 788
Phoenician traders established coastal settlements around 1100 BCE, followed by Carthaginian expansion and eventual Roman incorporation as the province of Mauretania Tingitana from the 1st century AD. After Rome's decline, Vandals, Visigoths, and Byzantine Greeks successively held portions of the region, laying fragmented groundwork before the transformative Arab conquests of the 7th century brought Islam and a new civilization to the Maghreb.
Early Islamic Dynasties
788 – 1062
Arab forces completed the Islamization of Morocco, and in 788 Idris I founded the Idrissid dynasty, the first major Arab-Islamic ruling house of Morocco, claiming descent from the Prophet Muhammad. Successive Berber and Arab dynasties consolidated Islamic governance, and the founding of fortified cities like Marrakech in 788 reflected growing political ambition and urban sophistication across the region.
Berber Imperial Dynasties
1062 – 1554
The Almoravid dynasty unified Morocco and extended its rule deep into the Iberian Peninsula and West Africa, followed by the Almohads and then the Merenids, who presided over a golden age of art, architecture, and scholarship in Fes. The period saw Morocco emerge as a confident independent state and a major Mediterranean and trans-Saharan power, though it also faced repeated challenges including a Spanish invasion attempt in 1267 and the arrival of Jewish refugees expelled from Spain in 1492.
Saadian Dynasty
1554 – 1669
The Saadian sultans expelled Portuguese forces from most coastal fortresses and dramatically expanded Moroccan influence by sacking Timbuktu in 1591 and dominating trans-Saharan gold trade routes. Their reign produced notable architectural achievements in Marrakech, including the celebrated Saadian Tombs, and represented the last great pre-Alaouite dynasty before political fragmentation opened the door to the Alaouites.
Alaouite Sultanate
1649 – 1912
The Alaouite dynasty, claiming descent from the Prophet Muhammad, consolidated Morocco under centralized rule and has governed continuously to the present day. European commercial and imperial pressure intensified through the 19th century, with France asserting a sphere of influence recognized by Britain in 1904 and formalized at the Algeciras Conference of 1906, ultimately culminating in the Treaty of Fes in 1912 which established a French protectorate and divided northern and southern zones between France and Spain.
Protectorate & Independence
1912 – 1956
Under French and Spanish protectorate rule, Moroccan nationalist sentiment grew steadily, crystallizing in the Istiqlal Party's 1944 independence manifesto and galvanized when France exiled the revered Sultan Mohammed V in 1953. His return in 1955 signaled the end of French resistance, and Morocco recovered full political independence on March 2, 1956, with Tangier reintegrated later that year under the Tangier Protocol.
Independent Kingdom
1956 – present
The Kingdom of Morocco under the Alaouite monarchy navigated post-independence nation-building, the contentious annexation of Western Sahara beginning in the late 1970s, and gradual democratization through the 1990s that established a bicameral legislature in 1997. The country has pursued moderate political reform and regional diplomacy while the status of Western Sahara remains one of Africa's longest-standing unresolved territorial disputes.
Timeline Preview
The first 7 key events. View the full chronology on the timeline page.
1100 BCE
Phoenician settlements in Morocco
Phoenician settlements in Morocco during the Bronze Age. First trading port is in Lixus near Larache.
500 BCE
Carthaginians take over and expand the Moroccan Phoenician settlements
Carthaginians take over and expand the Moroccan Phoenician settlements.
146 BCE
Carthage falls to Rome
Carthage falls to Rome in the Third Punic War. Roman influence spreads into the Berber kingdoms of Mauretania-Numidia.
27
Morocco comes under direct Roman rule during the reign of Emperor Caligula.
Morocco comes under direct Roman rule during the reign of Emperor Caligula.
535
Byzantines occupy Ceuta on the north coast.
Byzantines occupy Ceuta on the north coast.
600 – 700
Muslims began a wave of invasions.
Muslims began a wave of invasions.
788 – 923
Idrissid Dynasty
Idrissid Dynasty.