Figure 1.--.

European countries by the mid-19th century were demanding special rights in Morocco a country which due to its geographic situation was of considerable strategic impotance. The Alaouite dynasty in Morocco was a weak central authority, but unlike most of Africa it was an establish national government. And it managed to resist European conrol as the rest of the continent was carved up and North Africa succumbed to Turkish, French, or British domination. The inability of the Alaouite rulers to maintain order generated complaints from European invesors in the country. The European powers began demanding concessions from the Moroccan Government. And the military weakness of the regime left it unable to effectively resist the European demands. The industrial revolution transforming Europe did not touch Morroco. Here backward rulers and Islamic scholars played roles in maintaning Morocco as a virtually fedudal state. The industrial revolution radically transformed the balance of power between Morocco and the European powers. Spain was the first country to intervene in Morocco. Spain intervened to enforce such demands and defeated Moroccan forces (1860). Morocco had to transfer Sidi Ifni to Spain unfder the Treaty of Tetouan. More European demands followed. The European powers next demanded coincessions in Tangier. The Madrid Conference essentially turned Tangier into an international city administered by a European coinsortium. Both Spain and France had by this time interfered in Morocco to support various claims by its citizens. Sultan Moulay Hassan died (1894). His son Abdu l-Aziz was only 10 years old and unable to effectively execise his authority as sultan. European advisors became the major influences at court. Provincial rulers exerted their influence as the Sultan's influence becomes limited largely to the capital where foreign troops were garisoned. France was in particular determined to seize control of Morocco. The major impediment was not the Alaouite dynasty and Moroccan resistance, but the competition among the European powers. The result was a series of diplomatic moves which not only affected Morocco, but was a pat of the European diplomatic chain of events that ultimatel led to World War I.

Alaouite Dynasty

The Alaouite dynasty in Morocco was a weak central authority, but unlike most of Africa it was an establish national government. And it managed to resist European conrol as the rest of the continent was carved up and North Africa succumbed to Turkish, French, or British domination. The inability of the Alaouite rulers to maintain order generated complaints from European invesors in the country.

Demands for Special Rights

European countries by the mid-19th century were demanding special rights in Morocco a country which due to its geographic situation was of considerable strategic impotance. The European powers began demanding concessions from the Moroccan Government. And the military weakness of the regime left it unable to effectively resist the European demands.

Ecoonomic Development

The industrial revolutuon transforming Europe did not touch Morroco. Here backward rulers and Islamic scholars played roles in maintaning Morocco as a virtually fedudal state. The industrial revolution radically transformed the balance of power between Morocco and the European powers.

Treaty of Tetouan (1860)

Spain was the first country to intervene in Morocco. Spain intervened to enforce such demands and defeated Moroccan forces (1860). Morocco had to transfer Sidi Ifni to Spain unfder the Treaty of Tetouan.

Tangier

More European demands followed. The European powers next demanded coincessions in Tangier. The Madrid Conference essentially turned Tangier into an international city administered by a European coinsortium.

Abdu l-Aziz (1894)

Both Spain and France had by this time interfered in Morocco to support various claims by its citizens. Sultan Moulay Hassan died (1894). His son Abdu l-Aziz was only 10 years old and unable to effectively execise his authority as sultan. European advisors became the major influences at court. Provincial rulers exerted their influence as the Sultan's influence becomes limited largely to the capital where foreign troops were garisoned.

French Policy

France was in particular determined to seize control of Morocco. The major impediment was not the Alaouite dynasty and Moroccan resistance, but the competition among the European powers. The result was a series of diplomatic moves which not only affected Morocco, but was a pat of the European diplomatic chain of events that ultimately led to World War I.

Initial French Steps (1904)

The French Government decided to estanlish a protectorate over Morocco. It negotiated two secret treaties to prepare for this. They signed an agreements with Britain to ensur that the British would not interfere (April 8, 1904). And France signed an sagreement with Spsin to obtain that country's comsent by guaranteeing them a share of Morocco (October 7, 1904). This meant that Britain with its powerful navy and neighboring Spain would accept French seizure of Morocco.

Entente Cordial (1904)

Britain and France had been at each other's throats for centuries. Even at the turn of the 20th century, their were major imperialtic issues. Fear of Germany, however, drove the two togther. The two formed the Entente Cordiale (1904). The treaty was, however, loosly worded. It placed a "moral obligation" upon Britain to defend France, but did not require that Britain declare war of France was attacked or to commit land firces. Kaiser Wilhelm II's bombastic behavior and decission to build a major high seas fleet were major factors in pushing Britain and France together. Britain also had a long standing treaty with Belgium. Britain pledged to defend Belgian neutrality (1839). The German war plan (the Scliffen Plan) envisioned a strike through Belgium. The German assessment was that the German Army could defeat France before the British could significantly intervene. Possible British intervetion, however, undeniable made the German military problem more difficult. British support of France changed the power ballance in Europe. The Entente Cordiale recognized France's "sphere of influence" in Morocco.

First Moroccan/Tangier Crisis (1905-06)

The European powers in the 19th century colonized most of Africa in a process known as the scramable for Africa. France had seized neighbioring Algeria (1830). Morocco had, however, managed to remain independent. Its location at the erntrance to the Mediterranean made it strategically important in the increasingly volitile European nationalistic competition. The First Moroccan Crisis is also referred to as the Tangier Crisis. With almost all of Africa carved up, the different European powers had different ideas about the status of the Sultanate. The Germans who were buildung a highsea fleet in particular objected to French control of Morocco. The Germansere also resenentful that they had obtained such a small share of Africa in the colonial competition. German Chancellor Bernhard von B�low was particulsarly comcerned about the Entente Cordiale between Britain and France. He decided that he might be able to disrupt the new British-French alliance by raising colonisal issues. Britain and France had colonnial rivalries in Africa as well as Asia and the Pacific. Von B�low's calculation was that such a crisis would bring the weakness of alliance apparent. He believed that Britain would not strong support France if a possible war threatened. The crisis was resolved at the Algeciras Conference (1906). This formalized France's "special position" and gave France and Spain the authority to jointly police Morocco.

Second Moroccan/Agadir Crisis (1911)

Imperial Germany decided to reopen the never fully resolved Moroccan crisis (1905-06). The Germans dispatched gunboat Panther to theport of Agadir (July 1, 1911). This is why the Second Moroccan crisis is commonly called the Agadir Crisis. German officials justified sending Panther because German companies in Agadir requested protection in the chaotic situation Mprocco was experiencing. The British and French complained that there were no German subjects at Agadir and the port was not open to Europeans. Thus the German action seemed an obvious stepo to force open the whole Moroccan question. The German Government resented what was the failure of the effort to prevent French control. They decided a show of force could prevent further French penetration of Morocco. This would force them to negotiate a final settlement of the Morocco question with Germany.

Created: 8:38 PM 8/6/2009
Last updated: 8:39 PM 8/6/2009