Editing Ismail Ibn Sharif (section)

==Biography==
{{Main|Alaouite dynasty}}

=== Background, early life, and accession to power ===
[[File:Tafilalet tinghreras est.jpg|thumb|[[Tafilalt]], seat of the Alaouite Sharifs from the 13th century]]
Born in 1645 at [[Sijilmassa]],<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 60"/> Moulay Ismail ben Sharif was the son of [[Sharif ibn Ali]], [[Emir]] of [[Tafilalt]] and first sovereign of the [['Alawi dynasty]]. His clan claimed descent from [[Al-Hassan Ad-Dakhil|Hassan Ad-Dakhil]], a 21st generation descendant of the [[Prophets and messengers in Islam|Islamic prophet]] [[Muhammad]].<ref>[http://data.bnf.fr/12661098/mohamed_tozy/ Mohamed Tozy], {{Cite book |title=Monarchie et islam politique au Maroc |publisher=[[Presses de Sciences Po]] |year=1999 |isbn=978-2-7246-0758-1 |location=Paris |page=83 |oclc=467914421}}</ref><ref name="Bensoussan 67" group="L">{{harvnb|Bensoussan|2012|p=67}}</ref>

According to [[Al-Istiqsa]], his mother was Mubarka bin Yark al-Maghfiri (d. 1668), a [[Haratin|Hartania]] slave from the [[Sahrawis|Saharan]] Mghafra tribe (direct cousins of the [[Oudaya]] tribe as a cadet branch of it).<ref name=":16" group="L">{{harvnb|El Hamel|2014|pp=160, 164|p=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Ben Zidane |first=Abderrahmane |url=https://archive.org/details/p.d.f4098 |title=المنزع اللطيف في مفاخر المولى إسماعيل إبن الشريف |year=1993 |pages=43–44 |language=ar |trans-title=The trends in the feats of Moulay Ismail ben Cherif}}</ref> She was reportedly given as a concubine to Sharif ibn Ali by {{ill|Sidi Ali Bou Dmia|fr|Sidi Ali Bou Dmia}}, when he was holding him in captivity under ransom.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Justinard |first=Léopold Victor |year=1925 |title=Notes sur l'histoire du Sous au XIXe siècle |url=https://www.hesperis-tamuda.com/Downloads/1921-1929/Hesp%C3%A9ris%20Tamuda%201925.pdf#page=23 |journal=Hespéris-Tamuda |issue=5 |pages=23}}</ref> This remains contested, as it would have made his birthdate in 1637 around the time his father was captive, while he was born in 1645. Moulay Ismail claimed a fictive kinship with the Oudaya by referring to them as his maternal uncles even though Mubarka was, according to [[Ibn Zaydan]], not related to the Oudaya by blood or milk.<ref name=":16" group="L" /><ref name=":32">{{Cite book |last=trans. from Arabic by Eugène Fumet |first=Ahmed ben Khâled Ennâsiri |url=http://bnm.bnrm.ma:86/ClientBin/images/book704908/doc.pdf |title=Kitâb Elistiqsâ li-Akhbâri doual Elmâgrib Elaqsâ [" Le livre de la recherche approfondie des événements des dynasties de l'extrême Magrib "], vol. IX : Chronique de la dynastie alaouie au Maroc |date= |publisher=Ernest Leroux |pages=16–18 |language=fr |access-date=12 December 2021 |archive-date=13 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220913214538/http://bnm.bnrm.ma:86/ClientBin/images/book704908/doc.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Fumey |first=Eugène |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k106573x/f39.image |title=Chronique de la Dynastie Alaouie du Maroc |date=1906-12-01 |publisher=E. Leroux |location=Paris |pages=19 |language=fr}}</ref>

[[File:Cherif Muley-Arxid.png|thumb|upright|left|[[Al-Rashid of Morocco|Moulay Rashid]], the first sultan of the Alaouite dynasty in 1667]]

After the death of the [[Saadi Sultanate|Saadi]] sultan [[Ahmad al-Mansur]], Morocco entered a period of unrest, during which his sons fought with one another for the throne, while the country was parcelled up by the different military leaders and religious authorities.<ref group="ArcI" name="Volume XVIII 1">{{harvnb|id=Volume XVIII|Archives marocaines, volume XVIII|1912|p=1}}.</ref><ref name="L'Économiste 4" group="L">{{harvnb|L'Économiste|id=L'Économiste|p=4}}.</ref> From the beginning of the reign of [[Zidan Abu Maali]] in 1613, the Saadi sultanate was very weak. The [[Zawiya Dila'iya]] (or Zawiya of Dila) controlled central Morocco, the {{ill|Zaouia of Illigh|fr|Zaouïa d'Illigh}} established its influence from [[Souss]] to the [[Draa River]], the [[marabout]] [[Sidi al-Ayachi]] took possession of the northwestern plains, the Atlantic coast as far as [[Taza]], the [[Republic of Salé]] became an independent state at the mouth of the [[Bou Regreg]], and the city of [[Tétouan]] became a city-state under the control of the Naqsis family.<ref name="Harakat">{{Cite journal|first1=Brahim|last1=Harakat|title=Le makhzen sa'adien|journal=Revue de l'Occident musulman et de la Méditerranée|volume=15–16|year=1973|pages=43–60|doi=10.3406/remmm.1973.1226|url=http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/remmm_0035-1474_1973_num_15_1_1226}}.</ref> At Tafilalt, the Alaouites were appointed by the local people in order to check the influence of the Zaouias of Illigh and Dila. They were an independent emirate from 1631.<ref name="L'Économiste 4" group="L"/>

[[File:Maroc en 1660.png|thumb|Political situation in Morocco in 1660, after the assassination of the final Saadi sultan [[Ahmad al-Abbas]]]]
Three rulers preceded Ismail ben Sharif: his father, Moulay Sharif, then his two half-brothers respectively Sidi Mohammed and Moulay Rachid. As the first sovereign of the 'Alawi dynasty from 1631, Moulay Sharif succeeded in keeping Tafilalt outside the authority of the Dila'iya.<ref group="L" name="Marchat 49">{{harvnb|Marchat|2013|p=49}}.</ref> He abdicated in 1636 and his eldest son, [[Muhammad ibn Sharif|Sidi Muhammad ibn Sharif]] succeeded him. Under the latter's reign, the 'Alawi realm expanded into the north of the country, to [[Tafna]] and the Draa river and managed to capture the city of [[Oujda]].<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 36">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|pp=20 & 36}}.</ref> His half-brother, Moulay Rashid rebelled against him and managed to kill him on 3 August 1664, in a battle on the plain of Angad (near Oujda).<ref group="ArcI" name="Volume XVIII 8">{{harvnb|id=Volume XVIII|Archives marocaines, volume XVIII|1912|p=8}}.</ref> Moulay Ismail chose to support Rashid and was rewarded by being appointed governor of [[Meknes]]. There, Moulay Ismail devoted himself to the region's agriculture and commerce, to increase his wealth,<ref group="L" name="Audiffret 376">{{harvnb|Audiffret|1821|p=376}}</ref> while Moulay Rashid reigned as Sultan of Tafilalt and then as Sultan of Morocco after his conquest of [[Fez, Morocco|Fez]] on 27 May 1664.<ref group="ArcI" name="Volume XVIII 8" /> Rashid further entrusted Ismail with military control of the North of Morocco and made him [[Khalifa (Morocco)|Khalifa]] ([[viceroy]]) of Fez in 1667, while he fought in the south of Morocco. Rashid conquered the Dila'iya in 1668 and then took two years to overcome rebels at [[Marrakesh]] before he broke into the city in 1669.<ref name="Les Alaouites 1636-">{{Cite web|url=http://www.memoarts.com/index.php/documentation/histoire-du-maroc/113-les-alaouites-1636-a-nos-jours|title=Les Alaouites (1636 à nos jours)|website=Mémoart.com|access-date=6 September 2014}}.</ref>

On 6 April 1670, in the presence of his brother Sultan Moulay Rashid, Moulay Ismail celebrated his first marriage at Fez to the daughter of a Sa'adi prince.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 53">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=53}}.</ref> On 25 July, he put to death sixty brigands from Oulad Djama, by crucifying them on the wall of the Borj el-Jadid in Fez.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 54">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=54}}.</ref> While Rashid continued his campaigns against the independent tribes of the [[High Atlas]], he was killed on 9 April 1672 at Marrakesh, after falling off his horse. On 13 April,<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 60">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=60}}.</ref> after he had learned of Rashid's death, Moulay Ismail rushed to Fez, where he took possession of his brother's treasury and then proclaimed himself Sultan of Morocco on 14 April 1672, at the age of twenty-six.<ref group="L" name="Audiffret 376" /><ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 60"/><ref group="L" name="Abitbol-233">{{harvnb|Abitbol|2009|p=233}}.</ref> This proclamation occurred around 2&nbsp;pm and a grand ceremony followed.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 60"/> The whole population of Fez, including the nobles, intellectuals, and sharifs swore to be loyal to the new sovereign, as did the tribes and cities of the kingdom of Fez, who sent embassies and presents to him. Only Marrakesh and the region around it did not send an embassy. Ismail fixed his capital at Meknes, on account of the water supply and climate of the town.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 59">{{harvsp|al-Nasiri|1906|p=59}}.</ref>

===Difficult early reign===
[[File:Mouley-Ismaël, roi du Maroc (cropped).jpg|thumb|The ''Grand Cherif Mouley Sémein ou Ismael'', by Nicolas I de Larmessin]]
After seizing power, Moulay Ismail faced several rebellions: most significant was the revolt of his nephew [[Ahmed ben Mehrez|Moulay Ahmed ben Mehrez]], son of Moulay Murad Mehrez, then the rebellions of his brothers, including [[Harran ibn Sharif]], who assumed the title of King of Tafilalt. The Tetouan warlord [[Khadir Ghaïlan]] also resisted Sultan Ismail, along with several tribes and religious groups.<ref group="L" name="Ogot 174">{{harvnb|Ogot|1998|p=174}}.</ref>

When the news of Rashid's death reached Sijilmassa, Ahmed ben Mehrez rushed to Marrakesh, to have himself proclaimed [[sultan]]. The tribes of [[Al Haouz Province|Al Haouz]], the Arabs of Souss, and the inhabitants of Marrakesh joined him and he was able to assume control of the area. He rallied the southern tribes and was proclaimed sultan at Marrakesh. In response, Moulay Ismail launched a campaign against his nephew on 27 April 1672.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 61">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=61}}.</ref> Ismail was victorious as a result of his artillery. He entered the city of Marrakesh and was recognized as sultan there on 4 June 1672.<ref group="L" name="Ogot 174" /><ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 61"/><ref group="ArcI" name="Volume XVIII 10">{{harvnb|id=Volume XVIII|Archives marocaines, volume XVIII|1912|p=10}}.</ref> Ahmed suffered a bullet wound and fled into the mountains.<ref group="L" name="Audiffret 376" /> Ismail pardoned the inhabitants of Marrakesh and reorganized the city's defenses.<ref group="L" name="Ben Ahmed Ezziâni 24">{{harvnb|Ben Ahmed Ezziâni|1886|p=24}}.</ref> He then went back to Fez to collect his brother Rashid's coffin and inter it in the mausoleum of Sheikh Ali ibn Herzouhm, before returning to Meknes on 25 July 1672.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 61"/>

Moulay Ismail arranged the organisation of the empire and distributed goods to the soldiers of his army in preparation for an expedition into the [[Sahara]]. The project was abandoned however after a revolt broke out in the city of Fez, during which the Caid Zidan ben Abid Elamri, the intended head of the expedition, was killed and the sultan's forces were expelled from the city, on the night of 26 August 1672. Moulay Ismail immediately arrived and was encamped outside the walls of the city. After several days of conflict, the noble clans of Fez appealed to Ahmed ben Mehrez in despair. He responded favorably to their appeal and traveled through [[Debdou]] to Taza, where he was proclaimed Sultan again. In the meanwhile, Khadir Ghaïlan sent a messenger to Fez and notified the inhabitants of his arrival by sea from Algiers to Tetouan, where he was welcomed by the Ennaqsîs family that governed the city. These events sparked serious unrest in the country. Moulay Ismail marched on Taza, which surrendered to him after a siege of several months, and forced Ahmed ben Mehrez to flee into the Sahara. While the siege of Fez continued,<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 62">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=62}}.</ref> Ismail turned northwest to face Khadir Ghaïlan, who had taken control of the [[Habt]] region (the [[Rharb|Gharb]] and [[Khlout]] plains and part of the [[Jebala people|Jebala]] territory) with the help of the [[Ottoman Algeria|Ottoman Regency of Algiers]]. With a force of 12,000 men, Ismail suppressed the rebellion and pacified the northern provinces,<ref group="L" name="Ogot 174" /> killing Ghaïlan on 2 September 1673 at [[Ksar el-Kebir]]<ref group="ArcI" name="Volume XVIII 63">{{harvnb|id=Volume XVIII|Archives marocaines, volume XVIII|1912|p=63}}.</ref> He returned again to Fez, which was still under siege by his forces. The heart of the city, [[Fes Jdid|Fez Jdid]], finally opened its gates on 28 October 1673, after a siege of fourteen months and eight days. Ismail granted a pardon to the inhabitants of Fez. He reorganised the city and appointed governors in charge of the suburbs of [[Fes el Bali|Fez el Bali]] and Fez Jdid.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 62"/>

[[File:Medina of Marrakech (Nov. 2008).jpg|left|thumb|[[Marrakesh]], one of the imperial capitals of Morocco, revolted against Moulay Ismail, in favor of Ahmed ben Mehrez, three times. The city was harshly punished.]]
On returning to Meknes, Moulay Ismail continued construction work and built several palaces.<ref group="H" name="Hamet 339">{{harvnb|Hamet|1923|p=339}}.</ref> He was disturbed once more by his nephew Ahmed ben Mehrez, who seized Marrakesh sometime after May 1673.<ref group="L" name="Ben Ahmed Ezziâni 26">{{harvnb|Ben Ahmed Ezziâni|1886|p=26}}.</ref><ref>Julien (1931: p.228–9); El Fasi (1992: p.114)</ref><ref name=cenival303>Cenival (1913–36: p.303; 2007: p.328)</ref> When Ismail learned of it in 1674, he first launched a campaign against the Arab tribes of the Angad region who were engaging in banditry. He severely defeated the Sgoûna tribe and then put in place the preparations for a major campaign against his nephew. Ismail marched at the head of his army into the [[Tadla]] region and encountered Ahmed ben Mehrez's army at Bou Agba, near [[Oued El Abid]]. Ismail was victorious over his nephew's army and killed its commander, Hida Ettouïri. Ahmed was chased by his uncle all the way to Marrakesh, where he entrenched himself. Ismail besieged the city and took it by force in 1674, forcing Ahmed to flee to the province of Drâa. The sultan then led a number of operations against the [[Chaouia (Morocco)|Chaouia]] tribes.<ref group="H" name="Hamet 339"/> In this same year, the [[Sanhaja]] of the High and [[Middle Atlas]] revolted and massacred the envoys of the Sultan, after having refused to pay tribute. Moulay Ismail launched the first expedition and attempted to dislodge them from the mountain strongholds where they had entrenched themselves.<ref group="Arc" name="Volume XXVIII 21">{{harvnb|id=Volume XXVIII|Archives marocaines, volume XXVIII|1931|p=21}}.</ref> The sultan's troops were repulsed by a force of 8,000 Berber infantry and 5,000 Berber cavalries. A second expedition followed, and this time the Sultan's forces inflicted a heavy defeat on the rebels, seizing substantial booty.<ref group="Arc" name="Volume XXVIII 22">{{harvnb|id=Volume XXVIII|Archives marocaines, volume XXVIII|1931|p=22}}.</ref>

In 1675, with the help of the inhabitants of [[Taroudant]], Ahmed secretly returned to Marrakesh, expelled the royal army, and reoccupied the city.<ref group="L" name="Audiffret 377" /> Ismail placed Marrakesh under siege once more. The fighting was bloody, with very high casualties on both sides, especially in June 1676.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 65">{{harvsp|al-Nasiri|1906|p=65}}.</ref> Ahmed eventually had to flee the city on 26 June 1677, heading for Souss.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 66">{{harvsp|al-Nasiri|1906|p=66}}.</ref> This time, Ismail violently sacked the city as punishment for supporting Ahmed.<ref group="L" name="Ogot 174" /><ref group="L" name="Audiffret 377" /><ref name=cenival303/><ref>Julien (1931: p.229); El Fasi (1992: p.114)</ref>

While still at Marrakesh, Ismail learned that Ahmed ben Abdellah ad-Dila'i, grandson of [[Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr al-Dila'i]], had gathered a large army of Sanhaja tribes from the mountains, crossed the [[Moulouya River]] and was raiding the Arab tribes of Tadla and [[Saïss]], forcing them to flee to the cities of Fez, Meknes, and Sale. Ahmed was attempting to revive the defunct Zawiya Dila'iya and was supported by the Ottomans in Algiers, who had previously given him refuge. Since Ismail was busy with Ahmed ben Mehrez at Souss, he sent an autonomous force of 3,000 cavalries. They were defeated by the Berber army of Ahmed ben Abdellah and the force's commander, Caid Ikhlef, was killed. Ismail then sent two further armies, numbering 4,000 men each, which were also beaten – the first near Meknes and the second at [[Kasba Tadla]], which was then seized and destroyed by the Sanhaja. Meanwhile, Ismail also learned that three of his brothers, Moulay Harran, Moulay Hammada, and Moulay Murad Mehrez (the father of Ahmed ben Mehrez) had revolted and attacked Tafilalt. The sultan decided to deal with the unrest at Tadla first. He personally intervened and routed the Berbers in a battle in which say 3,000 Berbers dead and several hundred soldiers of the imperial army.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 70">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=70}}.</ref> He retook Tadla, stabilised the Middle Atlas region with his artillery and an enveloping maneuver carried out by the guich of Oudaya.<ref group="Arc" name="Volume XXVIII 22"/> The heads of nearly 700 rebels were nailed to the walls of Fez by the Caid Abdellah Errousi.<ref group="L" name="Ben Ahmed Ezziâni 27">{{harvsp|Ben Ahmed Ezziâni|1886|p=27}}.</ref> Moulay Ismail returned to Meknes at the end of 1677 and ended his brothers' rebellion. He captured Moulay Harran but chose to spare him.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 71">{{harvsp|al-Nasiri|1906|p=71}}.</ref>

=== Stabilisation of the empire ===
Between 1678 and 1679, Moulay Ismail attempted an expedition over the [[Amour Range|Amour mountain range]] into the region of Cherg, accompanied by a large contingent of Arab tribes, including the Beni Amer. The Turkish artillery put all the Arab tribes in the expedition to flight and the Sultan was forced to set the border between the Regency of Algiers and Morocco at [[Tafna]].<ref>{{cite book|author1=Charles-André Julien|title=Histoire de l'Afrique du Nord: Des origines à 1830|publisher=Payot et Rivages|location=Paris|year=1994|page=605|author1-link=Charles-André Julien}}.</ref><ref name="pointier">{{Cite book|author1=Laurent Pointier|title=Sahara occidental: La controverse devant les Nations unies|publisher=Karthala|location=Paris|year=2004|url={{google books|M6LlYyhkCA8C|plainurl=yes}}|page=46}}.</ref> Moulay Ismail restored and reorganised Oujda on his return.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 79">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=79}}.</ref> He reorganised the south of the empire following an expedition in 1678, from Souss and the oasis of [[Touat]] to the [[Chinguetti Department|provinces of Chinguetti]]  on the border of the [[Sudan (region)|Sudan region]] in modern [[Mauritania]].<ref group="Arc" name="Volume XXVIII 20">{{harvnb|id=Volume XXVIII|Archives marocaines, volume XXVIII|1931|p=20}}.</ref> During his journey, Ismail appointed caids and [[pasha]]s and ordered the construction of forts and [[ribat]]s to demonstrate his control to the ''[[makhzen]]'' in these regions.<ref name="Chenguit">{{Cite web|url=http://www.maroc-hebdo.press.ma/Site-Maroc-hebdo/archive/Archives_367/html_367/ProvinceMarocaine.html|title=Province marocaine|website=Maroc-hebdo.press.ma|access-date=7 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907234246/http://www.maroc-hebdo.press.ma/Site-Maroc-hebdo/archive/Archives_367/html_367/ProvinceMarocaine.html|archive-date=7 September 2014}}.</ref> During this expedition, the Sultan received embassies from all the [[Maqil|Banu Maqil]] (Maqil tribes) in the Saharan provinces of the country, which stretched all the way to the [[Senegal river]].<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 76">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=76}}.</ref> Moroccan control over the [[Pashalik of Timbuktu]] was established in 1670 and continued throughout Moulay Ismail's reign.<ref name="L'Économiste 4" group="L"/>

[[File:saghro.jpeg|left|thumb|[[Jbel Saghro]], summit of the eastern part of the [[Anti-Atlas]] in [[Aït Atta]]]]
Around the end of [[Ramadan]] 1678–1679, Ismail's three brothers, Harran, Hashem, and Ahmed, and three of his cousins revolted with the help of the Sanhaja confederation of [[Aït Atta]] and the tribes of the {{ill|Toudra valley|fr|Vallée du Toudra|lt=Toudra}} and [[Dadès River|Dadès]] valleys. Moulay Ismail launched a massive expedition and seized Ferkla, Gueria, Toudra, and Dadès in quick succession. The rebel tribes abandoned their oases and fled into the [[Jbel Saghro]] in the eastern [[Anti-Atlas]]. With a large army, Ismail fought a difficult battle in the Jbel Saghro on 3 February 1679.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 80">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=80}}.</ref><ref group="L" name="Ogot 174" /> The heavy casualties included Moussa ben Ahmed ben Youssef, commander of the Moroccan army, and 400 soldiers from Fez. It was a partial failure. The battle was ended by an agreement in which the rebel tribes granted the people of Tafilalt free passage back to Marrakesh through the Saharan rebel tribes' territory and promised future aid against the Christians.<ref group="Arc" name="Volume XXVIII 23">{{harvnb|id=Volume XXVIII|Archives marocaines, volume XXVIII|1931|p=23}}.</ref> On their return journey, a blizzard struck the force as it crossed the Atlas at Telwet or Elglâoui on the Jbel Ben Deren, destroying nearly three thousand tents, part of the army, and the booty.<ref group="Arc" name="Volume XXVIII 23"/> In a fury, Moulay Ismail executed his vizier to avenge those who had been traveling with him, even though the vizier had had nothing to do with this catastrophe.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 80"/><ref group="L" name="Audiffret 377" />

[[File:Tangier under English rule, 1680.jpg|thumb|Engraving from 1680 depicted the [[English Tangier|English fort]] at Tangiers]]
A plague struck around this time that killed several thousand people, mainly in the plain of Rharb and [[Rif]].<ref group="L" name="Audiffret 377" /><ref name="Encyclopédie Islam">{{Cite book|author=Clifford Edmund Bosworth|title=[[Encyclopaedia of Islam]]|trans-title=Encyclopédie de l'Islam|volume=VI.111–112|publisher=G.-P. Maisonneuve & Larose S. A.|year=1989|pages=884–885}}</ref><ref>{{google book|id=qyEVAAAAIAAJ|p=884|title=Moulay Ismail|}}</ref>

After he had achieved the unification of Morocco, Moulay Ismail decided to end the Christian presence in the country. He first launched a campaign to recapture the city of [[Tangiers]], which had been under [[English Tangier|English control]] since 1471 – initially Portuguese, the city had passed into English hands after the marriage of [[Catherine of Braganza]] to [[Charles II of England|Charles II]]. The city was strongly fortified and had a large garrison of 4,000 men.<ref name="Tanger">{{Cite book|author1=Jean Louis Miège|display-authors=etal|title=Tanger: porte entre deux mondes|publisher=ACR éditions|year=1992|url={{google books|X13Ud-Cip7kC|plainurl=yes}}|pages=12–13}}.</ref> Moulay Ismail assigned one of his best generals, {{ill|Ali ben Abdallah Er-Riffi|fr}}, to [[Great Siege of Tangier|besiege Tangier]] in 1680.<ref group="L" name="Ogot 175">{{harvnb|Ogot|1998|p=175}}.</ref> At Tangiers, the English resisted, but, as a result of the high cost of maintaining the garrison, they decided to abandon the city, demolishing their fortifications and harbor over the winter of 1683. The Moroccan army entered the city on 5 February 1684.<ref group="L" name="Ogot 175" /><ref group="L" name="Audiffret 377">{{harvnb|Audiffret|1821|p=377}}.</ref>

In 1681, while the siege of Tangiers was still ongoing, Moulay Ismail sent part of his army under the command of Omar ben Haddou El-Bottoui to conquer the city of [[Mehdya, Morocco|La Mamora]].<ref name="Mehdia">{{Cite book|author1=Georges Spillmann|title=Esquisse d'histoire religieuse du Maroc: confréries et zaouïas|publisher=J. Peyronnet|year=1951|url={{google books|aXoqAQAAIAAJ|plainurl=yes}}|page=82}}.</ref> This city had been occupied by the Spanish in the period of chaos in Morocco after 1614. Ismail besieged the city, which had no water source, and captured it, along with all the Spaniards in the city, who numbered 309.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 84">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=84}}.</ref> Caid Omar had told the Spaniards that they would not be sold into slavery if they surrendered unconditionally "Although they would be captives they would spend their days without working, until the first redemption." However Moulay Ismaïl saw no reason to honor Kaid Omar's promises and had no intention of allowing the captives from al-Mamurah to be redeemed so they, including fifty "poor girls and women", were forced to walk to Meknes as booty along with their possessions, arms and artillery (88 bronze cannons, 15 iron cannons, fire-pots, muskets, and gunpowder) which Germain Mousette wrote was "more than he had in the rest of his kingdom".<ref>{{cite book |editor-last1=Vitkus |editor-first1=Daniel J. |title=Piracy, Slavery, and Redemption: Barbary Captivity Narratives from Early Modern England |date=2001|publisher=Columbia University Press; Quoting Al Qadiri's Nashr al Mathani|isbn=978-0-231-11905-4|edition=Illustrated, Annotated|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=77XC3rocFA4C&q=ismail+&pg=PA193|access-date=15 November 2015|page=139}}</ref> The city was renamed al-Mahdiya.<ref name="Houtsma 122">{{Cite encyclopedia|author=Lévi-Provençal, Evariste |title=Al Madīya|editor=Houtsma, Martijn Theodoor|encyclopedia=E. J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam: 1913 – 1936, Volume 5, L – Moriscos|year=1987|edition=1987 reprint|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Va6oSxzojzoC&pg=PA122 122]|isbn=978-90-04-08494-0}}</ref> Omar ben Haddou died of the plague on his return journey and was replaced by his brother Ahmed ben Haddou.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 85">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=85}}.</ref>

While his generals were undertaking these operations, Moulay Ismail was focused on stabilising the country. After an expedition to the Cherg region against the Beni Amer, he learned that Ahmed ben Mehrez had made yet another agreement with the Turks in Algiers. He also learned that the Turkish army was approaching Tafna and had already reached the territory of the {{ill|Beni Snassen|fr|Béni-Snassen (Montagne)}}. Ismail immediately sent a large force to the south of the country to face Ahmed and prepared an expedition against the Ottomans, which did not end up taking place because the Turkish army withdrew.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 85"/> He then marched south to confront his nephew at Souss in 1683. A battle took place there in April. After twenty-five days of fighting, Ahmed fled to Taroudant and entrenched himself there. Another battle on 11 June 1683 cost more than 2,000 lives. Ahmed and Ismail were themselves wounded. The clashes continued until Ramadan.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 86">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=86}}.</ref> Moulay Ismail undertook two expeditions that succeeded in pacifying several Berber regions.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 88">{{harvsp|al-Nasiri|1906|p=88}}.</ref><ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 90">{{harvsp|al-Nasiri|1906|p=90}}.</ref>

[[File:TAROUDANNT defensive wall (js).jpg|left|thumb|[[Taroudant]], city which sustained the rebellion of Ahmed Ben Mehrez and Moulay Harran]]
While Moulay Ismail was occupied with these tribes in the Atlas, Ahmed ben Mehrez forged an alliance with Moulay Harran to destabilise Ismail's empire. When Moulay Ismail learned, in 1684/5, that the two rebels had taken control of Taroudant and its hinterland, he immediately set out to besiege the city. Ahmed went out with a group of slaves to visit a sanctuary and was confronted by some members of the Zirâra tribe, who were soldiers of Ismail. Although they did not recognise him, the Zirâra attacked him, sparking a short battle, which ended with the death of Ahmed. The sultan's soldiers only realised who he was after his death around the middle of October 1685. Ismail ordered that he be given a funeral and buried.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 91">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=91}}.</ref><ref name=cenival303/> Moulay Harran continued the resistance until April 1687, when he fled into the Sahara. The population of Taroudant was massacred and the city was repopulated with Rifans from Fez.<ref group="H" name="Hamet 348">{{harvnb|Hamet|1923|p=348}}.</ref> Many of Ismail's military commanders had lost their lives in this war,<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 91"/> but after this date, no one else challenged the power of the Sultan. The war between Ahmed and Ismail had come to an end after thirteen years of fighting.<ref group="L" name="Ogot 174" />

Moulay Ismail now prepared a strong army, estimated at 30,000–50,000 men,<ref group="C1927" name="Castries 1927 269">{{harvnb|Castries|1927|p=269}}.</ref> under the command of Ali ben Abdallah Er-Riffi<ref group="L" name="Figueras et Joulia Saint-Cyr 195">{{harvnb|Figueras et Joulia Saint-Cyr|p=195}}.</ref> and Ahmed ben Haddou El-Bottoui, to seize the city of [[Larache]], which had been under Spanish control since 1610.<ref group="L" name="Ogot 176">{{harvnb|Ogot|1998|p=176}}.</ref> The Sultan, who announced his plan in 1688, forced the Spaniards to fortify the city heavily, with 200 cannons and 1500–2000 men.<ref group="C1927" name="Castries 1927 269" /> The campaign began on 15 July 1689 and the [[Siege of Larache (1689)|siege]] began in August.<ref group="L" name="Figueras et Joulia Saint-Cyr 195" /> The Moroccan army eventually took the city on 11 November 1689, at an estimated cost of 10,000 dead. The Moroccans captured 1,600 Spanish soldiers including 100 officers and 44 cannons. The Spanish army lost 400 soldiers in the battle.<ref group="C1927" name="Castries 1927 280-281">{{harvnb|Castries|1927|pp=280–281}}.</ref> A prisoner exchange was arranged at a rate of one officer for ten Moroccans, one hundred officers were exchanged for a thousand Moroccan prisoners. The rest of the Spanish garrison remained in captivity, as slaves in Meknes, except for those who converted to [[Islam]].<ref group="C1927" name="Castries 1927 376">{{harvnb|Castries|1927|p=376}}.</ref> To celebrate the triumph Moulay Ismaïl issued an [[edict]] banning the wearing of black shoes because the Spanish were said to have introduced the custom into Morocco when they first acquired Larache in 1610. The [[mufti]] of Fez was so elated by the victory he wrote, {{blockquote|How many infidels at dusk have had their heads severed from their bodies! How many were dragged away with the death rattle in their throats?! For how many throats have our Lance's been as necklaces? How many lance tips were thrust into their breasts!{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}}} Shortly after Larache was conquered, Ismail sent Ahmed ben Haddou to besiege Assilah. Exhausted, the Spanish garrison evacuated the city by the sea and the Moroccan army occupied the town in 1691.<ref group="L" name="Ogot 176" />

[[File:Estelle-échevin.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|Portrait of [[Jean-Baptiste Estelle]], French consul in [[Salé]], who negotiated the release of French prisoners captured by the corsairs, with Moulay Ismail]]
In 1692–3, Moulay Ismail organised a very large expedition against the last unconquered tribes. These were the Sanhaja Brâbér tribes, Berbers in Fêzzâz, a region in the western part of the Middle Atlas. These tribes formed the last pocket of the [[Bled es-Siba]] (the area that did not accept the authority of the sultan).<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 107"/> Ismail's army was very numerous and equipped with mortars, ballistae, cannons, and other siege weapons, which were dragged by Christian slaves all the way from Moulouya to Ksar Beni M'Tir. Meanwhile, the Moroccan forces gathered at Adekhsan. Ismail divided his army into three groups. The first was commanded by Pasha Msahel, with 25,000 infantry, and marched from Tadla to Oued El Abid, bypassing the Aït Isri. The second army was led by Caid Ali Ou Barka and consisted of Aït Imour and Aït Idrassen, who had to occupy Tinteghalin. The third and final group was commanded by Ali ben Ichchou El-Qebli, caid of {{ill|Zemmours|fr}} and Beni Hakim, and was concentrated in the High Moulouya.<ref group="Arc" name="Volume XXVIII 32">{{harvnb|id=Volume XXVIII|Archives marocaines, volume XXVIII|1931|p=32}}.</ref> The unconquered tribes comprised the Aït Oumalou, the [[Ait Yafelman]] and the Aït Isri.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 107">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=107}}.</ref> They were surrounded by Mulay Ismail who used all his artillery to break up the Berber rebels. A terrible battle followed, the Berbers were dispersed and fled into the ravines and valleys. After pursuing them for three days, 12,000 Berbers had been captured by the Sultan, and 10,000 horses and 30,000 guns as booty.<ref group="H" name="Hamet 350">{{harvnb|Hamet|1923|p=350}}.</ref> Moulay Ismail had now conquered the whole of Morocco and forced all the tribes of the country to recognise his authority. He was the first 'Alawi sultan to achieve this. He quickly organised the defense of the captured regions through the construction of several dozen fortresses throughout the country, which helped the central power to reach distant regions like Fêzzâz. With this victory, the conquest of Morocco was over. In 1693, according to [[Ahmad ibn Khalid al-Nasiri]]:
{{blockquote|The sultan had not left a single tribe of the Moroccan Maghreb with either horses or weapons. Only the Black Guard, the Oudaias, the Ait Imour (a [[guich]] tribe), and the Rifans, while the Fezzans began a holy war against [[Ceuta]]<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 109">{{harvsp|al-Nasiri|1906|p=109}}.</ref>}}

The [[Guerouan]]s learned this the hard way. Some men of this tribe who carried out raids in the upper course of the [[Ziz River]], on the road to Sijilmassa, drew the attention of Moulay Ismail. He ordered the caid Idrassen Ali ben Ichchou El-Qebli to massacre them. In Ahmad ibn Khalid al-Nasiri's ''[[Al-Istiqsa]]'', it is reported that Moulay Ismail provided 10,000 horsemen to Ali ben Ichchou, the caid of the Zemmour and Bni Hakem tribes and told him "I do not want you to return until you have fallen upon the Gerrouans and unless you bring back to me a heads for each man here." So they left to kill as many of the Guerouans as possible and to pillage their encampments. He offered 10 [[mithqal]]s to anyone who brought back an additional head. In the end, they collected 12,000. The Sultan was very happy with this and extended Ali ben Ichchou's command to include the Aït Oumalou and Aït Yafelmâl territories, which had just been conquered.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 119">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=119}}.</ref>

[[Jean-Baptiste Estelle]], the French consul in Salé wrote to his minister, the [[Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquess of Torcy|Marquis de Torcy]] in 1698:<ref name="Chenguit" /> {{Blockquote|... that the vast extent of the Sharifan Empire is a single unit from the Mediterranean to the Senegal river. The people who live there, from the north to the south, are Moors who pay the Gharama to the Sultan.}}

At its height, the Moroccan army contained 100,000<ref group="L" name="Audiffret 378">{{harvnb|Audiffret|1821|p=378}}.</ref> to 150,000 black soldiers in the Black Guard,<ref group="Arc" name="Volume XXVIII 25">{{harvnb|id=Volume XXVIII|Archives marocaines, volume XXVIII|1931|p=25}}.</ref> as well as thousands more in the Guich of the Udaya,<ref group="L" name="Ogot 175" /> European renegades and vassal tribes which received land and slaves in exchange for providing soldiers.<ref group="L" name="Bensoussan 67" />

=== Later reign and death ===
{{See also|Battle of Moulouya}}
[[File:ReceptionOfLouisXIVsAmbassadorToSultan.jpg|thumb|Ismail ibn Sharif receiving ambassador [[François Pidou de Saint Olon]] from [[Louis XIV of France]], by [[Pierre-Denis Martin (1663-1742)|Pierre-Denis Martin]] (1693)]]
The rest of Moulay Ismail's reign was marked by military setbacks and family problems relating to the succession. In May 1692, Moulay Ismail sent his son Moulay Zeydan with a large army to attack Ottoman Algeria. He was defeated by the Algerians who counter-attacked and advanced as far as Fez.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9nskAQAAIAAJ&q=ismail+soumission+moulouia&pg=PA186|title=Revue africaine|date=1887|publisher=La Société|language=fr}}</ref> Ismail offered his submission to the dey of Algiers<ref>{{Cite book|last=Galibert|first=Léon|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SySI7h2W95kC&q=24%2C000+fantassins+et+20%2C000+chevaux&pg=PA234|title=L'Algérie ancienne et moderne: depuis les premiers établissements des carthaginois jusqu'a l'expédition du Général Randon en 1853|date=1854|publisher=Furne|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Grammont|first=H. D. de|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s54aAAAAYAAJ&q=djidiouia+1701|title=Histoire d'Alger sous la domination turque (1515–1830)|date=1887|publisher=E. Leroux|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Cour|first=Auguste|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l5JQDwAAQBAJ&q=%22Alg%C3%A9riens%22&pg=PA156|title=L'établissement des dynasties des Chérifs au Maroc et leur rivalité avec les Turcs de la Régence d'Alger, 1509–1830|date=2004-09-10|publisher=Editions Bouchène|isbn=978-2-35676-097-5|language=fr}}</ref> and had to send an embassy to Algiers to make peace. He thus fixed his borders with the Beylik of Algiers at the [[Moulouya River]].<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Martinière|first1=Maximilien Antoine Cyprien Henri Poisson de La|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oT46AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA15|title=Documents pour servir à l'étude du Nord Ouest africain: réunis et rédigés par ordre de M. Jules Cambon|last2=Lacroix|first2=Napoléon|date=1894|publisher=Gouvernement général de l'Algérie, Service des affaires indigènes|language=fr}}</ref><ref group="H" name="Hamet 349">{{harvnb|Hamet|1923|p=349}}.</ref> In 1693, Moulay Ismail raided the [[Western Beylik|Oran region]] and attempted to pillage the Beni Amer which was successful. The city of Oran resisted two attacks, leading to the sultan's retreat. This time, it was the Turks who sent envoys to make peace, at the initiative of the Ottoman Sultan, [[Ahmed II]].<ref group="H" name="Hamet 350" /> In 1699, Moulay Ismail participated in the [[Maghrebi war (1699-1702)|Maghrebi War]] and was successful in capturing the [[Western Beylik|Beylik of Mascara]] and advanced with about 50,000 men<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VLdBAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA378|title=Biographie universelle, ancienne et moderne ou histoire, par ordre alphabétique, de la vie publique et privée de tous les hommes qui se sont fait remarquer par leurs écrits, leurs actions, leurs talents, leurs vertus ou leurs crimes|date=1821|publisher=Michaud|language=fr}}</ref> as far as the [[Chelif River]] but his army was routed by the Algerians at the [[Battle of Chelif]] in 1701.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Galibert|first=Léon|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p6mD0oLMWXcC&pg=PA235|title=L Algérie ancienne et moderne: depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'à nos jours comprenant le bombardement de Tanger, la prise de Mogador, la bataille d'Isly et le glorieux combat de Djemma-Gazouat|date=1846|publisher=Furne et Cie.|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Cour|first=Auguste|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l5JQDwAAQBAJ&q=alg%C3%A9ro-marocaine+1701|title=L'établissement des dynasties des Chérifs au Maroc et leur rivalité avec les Turcs de la Régence d'Alger, 1509–1830|date=2004-09-10|publisher=Editions Bouchène|isbn=978-2-35676-097-5|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Garrot|first=Henri|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p-xAAAAAYAAJ&q=28+avril+1701+chelif+%22alg%C3%A9riens%22|title=Histoire générale de l'Algérie|date=1910|publisher=Impr. P. Crescenzo|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Mercier|first=Ernest|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MDpbAAAAQAAJ&q=%22et+suivi+de+nu%C3%A9es+de+cavaliers+arabes+fournis+par+les+tribus+%22&pg=PA322|title=Histoire de l'Afrique septentrionale (Berbérie) depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'à la conquête française (1930)|date=1891|publisher=Ernest Leroux|language=fr}}</ref> Ismail, wounded in the fighting, had to escape on horseback and narrowly escaped capture. Moulay Ismail fought other minor conflicts with the Ottoman Algeria such as [[Laghouat Expedition (1708–1713)|Laghouat]] in 1708 which turned out successful.
[[File:Alaouite dynasty of Morocco-en.svg|left|thumb|The 'Alawi Empire in the late 17th century, during the reign of Moulay Ismail<ref>{{Cite book |last=أحمد |first=الناصري |url=https://archive.org/details/0035812/07_35814/page/n139/mode/2up |title=الاستقصا لأخبار دول المغرب الأقصى – النسخة المعتمدة كاملة منسقة |date=1894 |publisher=دار الكتاب – الدار البيضاء |page=483}}</ref>]]
Ismail attempted to besiege the city of Ceuta with an army of 40,000 soldiers, but the strength of Spanish resistance meant that the siege dragged on.<ref group="L" name="Rézette 41">{{harvnb|Rézette|p=41}}.</ref><ref name="Ceuta">Bibliothèque de l'État de Bavière, [https://books.google.com/books?id=BCZCAAAAcAAJ&dq=si%C3%A8ge+ceuta+1694&pg=PA284 Dictionnaire de la conversation et de la lecture: Ce – Cha, Volume 12], Belin-Mandar, 1834, {{p.|284}}.</ref> Part of Ismail's army also besieged [[Melilla]] from 1694 to 1696, but the city's fortifications were too much for them.<ref group="L" name="Rézette 41" /> In spring 1701, Moulay Ismail launched another expedition against Algeria. The Moroccan forces advanced to the [[Chelif River]] before they were intercepted by the Algerian army in Chediouïa. With a force of 10,000–12,000 men, the Algerian army managed to defeat the 60,000 soldiers of the Moroccan army.<ref group="L" name="Audiffret 378" /> The Moroccan army suffered a heavy defeat and fell into disarray. Moulay Ismail himself was wounded and barely escaped. The heads of 3,000 Moroccan soldiers and 50 Moroccan leaders were brought to Algiers.<ref group="H" name="Hamet 351">{{harvsp|Hamet|1923|p=351}}.</ref> In 1702, Moulay Ismail gave his son Moulay Zeydan an army of 12,000 men and instructed him to capture the [[Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera]]. The Moroccans razed the Spanish fortress, but failed to retain la Isleta.<ref group="L" name="Rézette 43">{{harvnb|Rézette|p=43}}.</ref> Meanwhile, the English admiral, [[George Rooke]] joined in the siege of Ceuta, blockading the port in 1704.<ref group="L" name="Rézette 41" />

Between 1699 and 1700, Moulay Ismail divided the provinces of Morocco between his children. [[Abu'l Abbas Ahmad of Morocco|Moulay Ahmed]] was given responsibility for the province of Tadla and a force of 3,000 Black Guards. [[Abdalmalik of Morocco|Moulay Abdalmalik]] was entrusted with Draâ province, with a [[kasbah]] and 1,000 cavalry. Moulay Mohammed al-Alim received Souss and 3,000 cavalries. Moulay El-Mâmoun commanded Sijilmasa and received 500 cavalry. When he died, he was replaced two years later by Moulay Youssef. Moulay Zeydan received command of ''Cherg'' (East), but he lost it after the Ottomans attacked and Ismail made peace with them.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 122">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=122}}.</ref> He was then replaced by Moulay Hafid. This division of the realm provoked jealousy and rivalry between Ismail's sons, which sometimes degenerated into open clashes. In one of these, Moulay Abdelmalek was defeated by his brother, Moulay Nasser, who took control of the whole of Draâ.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 123">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=123}}.</ref> Moulay Sharif was appointed governor of Draâ by his father in place of Abdelmalek and succeeded in retaking the region from Nasser.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 124">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=124}}.</ref>

In response to the intrigues, slanders, and opposition of [[Lalla Aisha Mubarka]], who wanted her son Moulay Mohammed Zeydan to succeed his father as Sultan, Ismail's eldest son Moulay Mohammed al-Alim revolted in Souss and took control of Marrakesh on 9 March 1703. When Moulay Zeydan arrived with an army, Mohammed al-Alim fled to Taroudant. His brother besieged the place and captured it on 25 June 1704, and took him to Oued Beht on 7 July.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 124" /> Mohammed al-Alim was harshly punished by his father, who amputated one hand and one arm, executing both the butcher who refused to spill Mohammed al-Alim's blood on the grounds that he was a [[Sharif]], and the one who agreed to do it.<ref group="L" name="Audiffret 379">{{harvnb|Audiffret|1821|p=379}}.</ref> He subsequently eliminated a caid of Marrakesh who had been responsible for Moulay Mohammed al-Alim's acquisition of the city, with exceptional violence.<ref group="C1903" name="Castries 1903 20">{{harvnb|Castries|1903|p=20}}.</ref> Moulay al-Alim committed suicide at Meknes on 18 July, despite precautions that his father had put in place to prevent this.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 125">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=125}}.</ref> On learning of the atrocities which Moulay Zeydan had committed at Taroudant, especially the massacre of the city's inhabitants,<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 124"/> Moulay Ismail organised for him to be murdered in 1708, having his wives smother him when he was black-out drunk.<ref group="L" name="Audiffret 379" /> Moulay Nasser also revolted in Souss, but was eventually killed by the [[Oulad Delim]], who remained loyal to Moulay Ismail.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 131">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=131}}.</ref>

[[File:Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail]] in [[Meknès]], Morocco]]To prevent further trouble, Moulay Ismail rescinded the governorships that he had conferred on his sons, except for Moulay Ahmed, who retained his post as governor of Tadla and Moulay Abdelmalek who became governor of Souss.<ref group="alN" name="al-Nasiri 132">{{harvnb|al-Nasiri|1906|p=132}}.</ref> Since Abdelmalek behaved like an independent and absolute monarch and refused to pay tribute, Ismail decided to change the order of succession – this was aided by the fact that Abdelmalek's mother was no longer close to him.<ref group="L" name="Braithwaite 2">{{harvnb|Braithwaite|p=2}}.</ref> Abdelmalek belatedly apologized, but Ismail remained hostile to his son.<ref group="L" name="Braithwaite 4">{{harvnb|Braithwaite|p=4}}.</ref> As a result, Moulay Ismail chose Moulay Ahmed as his successor.<ref group="L" name="Braithwaite 5">{{harvnb|Braithwaite|p=5}}.</ref>

In 1720, [[Philip V of Spain]], who wanted to get revenge on Morocco for having aided the Grand Alliance in the [[War of the Spanish Succession]], sent a fleet commanded by the [[Jean François de Bette, 3rd Marquess of Lede|Marquess of Lede]] to raise the siege of Ceuta which had been ongoing since 1694 and to force the Moroccans to give up on retaking the city. The Spanish fleet managed to raise the siege, but Moulay Ismail resumed it in 1721, after the Marquess of Lede had returned to Spain. The Sultan further planned a large armada for an invasion of Spain, but it was destroyed by a storm in 1722. The siege of Ceuta continued until Ismail's death in 1727.<ref group="L" name="Audiffret 379" /><ref group="L" name="Rézette 41" />

Moulay Ismail ibn Sharif finally died on 22 March 1727 at the age of 81,<ref group="L" name="Audiffret 379" /> from an abscess in his lower abdomen. His reign lasted 55 years, making him the longest-reigning Moroccan monarch.<ref group="H" name="Hamet 354">{{harvnb|Hamet|1923|p=354}}.</ref> He was succeeded by Moulay Ahmed.<ref group="L" name="Braithwaite 5" /> Both he and Ahmed were buried in the same [[Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail|mausoleum in Meknes]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last1=Touri|first1=Abdelaziz|title=Le Maroc andalou: à la découverte d'un art de vivre|last2=Benaboud|first2=Mhammad|last3=Boujibar El-Khatib|first3=Naïma|last4=Lakhdar|first4=Kamal|last5=Mezzine|first5=Mohamed|publisher=Ministère des Affaires Culturelles du Royaume du Maroc & Museum With No Frontiers|year=2010|isbn=978-3-902782-31-1|edition=2}}</ref> The empire immediately fell into civil war, as a result of a rebellion of the Black Guards. More than seven claimants to the throne succeeded to power between 1727 and 1757, some of them repeatedly, like [[Abdallah of Morocco|Moulay Abdallah]] who was Sultan six times.<ref group="L" name="Bensoussan 69">{{harvnb|Bensoussan|2012|p=69}}.</ref>