The Idrisid Dynasty: Laying the Foundations for Modern Morocco

Throughout its long history, Morocco has seen dynasties and empires come and go. Emperors have attempted to bridge the gap between Amazigh (Berber) tribes, while other rulers have struggled to establish cultural and religious unity across the region.

Ultimately, efforts had always failed to unify the majority of Morocco. This changed, however, with the arrival of the Idrisids during the late 8th century A.D.

Origins of the Dynasty

The unification of Morocco came at the hands of a man who was not even native to the region. Idris bin Abdallah (Idris I) hailed from Arabia and was a direct descendent of Prophet Muhammad. After confrontations surrounding leadership of the Abbasid Caliphate, Idris faced persecution and had to flee the region, ultimately settling in Tangier.

Due to his direct lineage to Muhammad, Idris quickly gained the support and assistance of various Amazigh groups. Allegiance from the Amazigh population led to the foundation of the Idrisid state in 788. This momentous event marked the first unification of the region, prompting historian Jamil M. Abun-Nasr and others to hail Idris as the founder of Morocco.

Idris I’s reign was short lived however, as he was poisoned by Abbasids three years later. Nevertheless, before his death, Idris had begun the construction of a new city, Fez, in 789. This would become the capital of his dynasty and a lasting Moroccan city that would go on to serve as the kingdom’s capital over different periods throughout the next millennium.

Reign of Idris II

Shortly after the death of Idris I, his wife Kenza gave birth to their son, Idris II. The young child was raised by those loyal to his father and later assumed the throne at only 10 years old in 802.

Following in the footsteps of his father’s legacy, in 809, Idriss II began  to expand Fez. 

As Idris II continued to govern his empire, the territory of the Idrisid State grew further, stretching from Sus in Southern Morocco to Oran in present day Western Algeria. This expansion consolidated most of modern day Morocco.

Although Idris II passed away in 828, the descendants of his siblings ruled over several sections of the empire for the next 160 years. This system of governance, however, would ultimately be the downfall of the dynasty, as the lack of central leadership encouraged the invasion of foreign powers. 

Islam under the Idrisids

The creation of the Idrisid Dynasty influenced centuries of Moroccan history. Most notably, it was the first occasion that much of Morocco was unified under one banner. This unification set the foundations for a distinct Moroccan, one separate from neighboring areas of the Maghreb to the east and Andalusia to the north.

The importance of Islam in Morocco today can also be traced back to efforts made by the dynasty to spread the religion across the region. Prior to Idrisid rule, Islam existed as a minor religion in Morocco, with most of the population still adhering to Christianity or Judaism.

With the establishment of political centers in Moroccan towns under Idrisid rule, Islam was able to spread efficiently from such centers. Trade routes extending to Andalusia, the Sahel, and elsewhere in the Maghreb allowed the religion to grow even further.

Despite the significant influence of Islam and Arab culture on Moroccan urban centers, however, the countryside continued to uphold a mostly Amazigh lifestyle. Whilst the Idrisids paved the way for Muslim prominence in Moroccan towns and across Western Africa as a whole, Islam would flourish in rural areas at a later time. 

The relationship between Islam and the state also changed significantly under Idrisid rule. The dynasty is credited with implementing the idea of “sharifianism,” the concept that one has the right to rule due to an ancestral relation to Prophet Muhammad. 

Although Idrisid rule was sharifian only in concept, as power was held regionally by Amazigh influence, the dynasty nevertheless became the first to promote such an idea in Morocco.

Lasting Legacies

The development of Fez is another integral aspect of the Idrisid state, as with heavy migration from Andalusia and from within the Maghreb to Fez, the city became a center of both Arab and Amazigh culture in North Africa.

Fez’s Qarawiyyin neighborhood, an area of higher learning, was developed under Idrisid rule, and became one of the most important centers for education in North Africa. To this day, Fez continues to remain a city of religious prominence both in the Magrheb region and in the Muslim world as a whole.

The impact of the Idrisid Dynasty on Morocco today is undeniable. While the Idrisids can claim responsibility for numerous achievements within education, the arts, and the development of Islam, arguably the most important aspect of the empire’s legacy is the near complete unification of the region. This consolidation enabled religious, cultural, and societal development across Morocco. Most notably, as the current king of Morocco, King Muhammad VI, is sharif himself,his reign serves as a testimony to the lasting concept of sharif that began with Idris I. 

Although Morocco can trace its origins back to various historical events and figures, in the end,  most paths ultimately lead back to the Idrisid Dynasty.