Editing History of Western Sahara (section)

==Colonial era (1884–1975)==
[[Image:Colonial Africa 1913 map.svg|thumb|Map showing claims to Africa in 1913, Spanish colonies, including Western Sahara, are colored violet]]

[[Western Sahara]] came under Spanish rule, despite attempts by the Moroccan sultan Hassan I to repel the European incursions on the territory in 1886. The oases of [[Tuat]] in the south-east went to the immense territory of the French [[Sahara]]. In 1898, in the aftermath of the [[Spanish–American War]], Spain attempted to sell Spanish Sahara to [[Austria-Hungary]]; Spain wished to recoup its losses from the conflict and several Austrian ministers wished to obtain an overseas colony to justify naval expansion. However, as Austria-Hungary operated as a [[dual monarchy]] with [[Cisleithania|Austria]] and [[Transleithania|Hungary]] having joint control over financial and foreign policy matters, the Hungarian [[House of Magnates]] vetoed the purchase and the colony was retained by Spain.

===Sahrawi tribes===
The modern [[ethnic group]] is thus an [[Arabization|Arabized]] Berber people inhabiting the westernmost [[Sahara desert]], in the area of modern [[Mauritania]], [[Morocco]], [[Algeria]] and most notably the [[Western Sahara]], with some [[tribe]]s traditionally migrating into northern [[Mali]] and [[Niger]]. As with most [[Sahrawi people|Saharan]] peoples, the tribes reflect a highly mixed heritage, combining [[Arab]], Berber, and other influences, including [[black African]] ethnic and cultural characteristics.

In pre-colonial times, the tribal areas of the [[Sahara desert]] was generally considered ''bled es-Siba'' or "the land of dissidence" by the authorities of the established [[Islam]]ic states of North Africa, such as the [[Sultan of Morocco]] and the [[Dey]]s of [[Algeria]]. The Islamic governments of the pre-colonial sub-Saharan empires of [[Mali]] and [[Songhai Empire|Songhai]] appear to have had a similar relationship with these territories, which were at once the home of undisciplined raiding tribes and the main trade route for the Saharan [[caravan trade]]. Central governments had little control over the region, although some Hassaniya tribes would occasionally extended "''beya''" or allegiance to prestigious neighbouring rulers, to gain their political backing or, in some cases, as a religious ceremony.

Best reference on Sahrawi population ethnography in the Spanish colonial era is the work of Spanish anthropologist [[Julio Caro Baroja]], who in 1952–53 spent several months among native tribes all along the then [[Spanish Sahara]].<ref>Julio Caro Baroja, '''Estudios Saharianos''', Instituto de Estudios Africanos, Madrid, 1955. Re-edited 1990: Ediciones Júcar. {{ISBN|84-334-7027-2}}</ref>

===Spanish Sahara===
{{Main|Spanish Sahara}}
[[File:Trabajos de la Sociedad Española de Africanistas. Establecimiento provisional en la Península de Río de Oro. de fotografía remitida por el señor Bonelli.jpg|thumb|Engraving depicting the ''Sociedad Española de Africanistas''{{'}} exploratory works in the [[Río de Oro Peninsula]] led by [[Emilio Bonelli]] (published in January 1885 in ''[[La Ilustración Española y Americana]]'').]]
In 1884, Spain claimed a [[protectorate]] over the coast from [[Cape Bojador]] to [[Ras Nouadhibou|Cap Blanc]]. Later, the Spanish extended their area of control. In 1958 Spain joined the previously separate districts of [[Saguia el-Hamra]] (in the north) and [[Río de Oro]] (in the south) to form the province of [[Spanish Sahara]].

Raids and rebellions by the [[Sahrawi people|Sahrawi]] population kept the Spanish forces out of much of the territory for a long time. [[Ma al-Aynayn]] started an uprising against the French in the 1910s, at a time when France had expanded its influence and control in North-West Africa. French forces finally beat him when he tried to conquer [[Marrakesh]], but his sons and followers figured prominently in several rebellions which followed. Not until the second destruction of [[Smara]] in 1934, by joint Spanish and French forces, did the territory finally become subdued. [[Ifni War|Another uprising in 1956–1958]], initiated by the [[Moroccan Army of Liberation]], led to heavy fighting, but eventually the Spanish forces regained control - again with French aid. However, unrest simmered, and in 1967 the [[Harakat Tahrir]] arose to challenge Spanish rule peacefully. After the events of the [[Zemla Intifada]] in 1970, when Spanish police destroyed the organization and "[[forced disappearance|disappeared]]" its founder, [[Muhammad Bassiri]], anti-Spanish feeling or Sahrawi nationalism again took a militant turn.