Establishment of Morocco's Alaouite Dynasty

Timeline

1. c. 1637–1640Sijilmasa · TafilaletAfter returning to Morocco from the Arabian Peninsula, Moulay Ali al-Sharif entered Sijilmasa in the Tafilalet oasis region, gaining local tribal support as a sharif (descendant of the Prophet) and beginning to build a local power base.
2. 1640Tafilalet · MoroccoBy around 1640, Moulay Ali al-Sharif had established firm rule in the Tafilalet, defeating local rivals and building a local polity resting on religious authority and tribal alliances, formally founding the Alaouite dynasty.
3. 1641–1650Southeastern Morocco · MoroccoUnder successors such as Moulay Ali al-Sharif's son Moulay Rashid, Alaouite power began expanding into central Morocco, contending with the remnants of the Saadian dynasty and local separatists, laying the groundwork for the unification of Morocco in the 1660s.