Thami al-Glaoui Morocco’s Greatest Pasha

Research output: Book/ReportBookpeer-review

Abstract

Studies the never-ending story of Thami al-Glaoui (1879–1956), and its implications for Moroccan history and historical theory Presents a historical biography of one of the most famous characters of the Moroccan French Protectorate and the Independence period Scrutinises key texts about al-Glaoui published in Morocco, France and Great Britain between 1932 and 2020 Presents the historical-literary plot of a person, a region and a period Addresses the global collapse of imperial world orders in the 20th century, and the manifold meanings of this collapse Offers new perspectives on the processes shaping colonial and post-colonial narratives, imagery, styles and politics in the 20th and 21st centuries, particularly in Morocco and France Orit Ouaknine-Yekutieli examines al-Glaoui’s life and deeds, and the multiple ways in which his story has been told. She investigates his biography as a creation continuing beyond the demise of its protagonist, asserting a conflation of history, story and storytelling. The book also reconfigures the story of major events and processes in modern Moroccan history and historiography. Thami al-Glaoui, leader of the Amazigh Glaoua tribe and Pasha of Marrakesh throughout Morocco’s colonial era (1912–56), was the third most powerful person in Morocco, after the Sultan and the French Resident-General, by the 1930s. In 1953, he was a key supporter of the deportation of Sultan Mohamed V by the French. After recanting three years later, he was pardoned by the returning Sultan, but died shortly afterwards. In the four decades that followed, al-Glaoui became a synonym in Morocco for betrayal and corruption. In the 21st century, however, the ways in which he is told became more complex, and his reputation has been somewhat revised.

Original languageAmerican English
PublisherEdinburgh University Press
Number of pages286
ISBN (Electronic)9781399520690
ISBN (Print)9781399520676
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2024

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Arts and Humanities
  • General Social Sciences

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