Ksar-el-Kebir

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Ksar-el-Kebir (Arabic, القصر الكبير) is a city in northwest of Morocco with 110.000 inhabitants, about 160 Km from Rabat, 32 Km from Larache and 110 from Tangier. The name of the city also known as Al Qasr al Kabir or Alcazarquivir in Spanish or Alcácer-Quibir in Portuguese. The name translates as The big castle in English. The population of the city is 107,380 (2004 census).

The city is located near by the Loukous river which makes Ksar el-Kebir one of Morocco's richest agricultural regions.

HISTORY 1st millennium BCE: Established as a Carthaginian colony, few centuries later it was transferred to the Romans. 12th century: City walls are built by the command of the Almohads. 1578: The Battle of the Three Kings is fought at the location of Ksar el-Kebir. 17th century: Sultan Moulay Ismail destroys the city walls of Ksar el-Kebir, after being angered by a local chief. 1911: Spain conquers Northern Morocco, and the town is rebuilt, and given a Spanish name, Alcazarquivir. 1956: With Morocco's independence, Alcazarquivir is transferred from Spanish control, and renamed Ksar el-Kebir.

In 1578, King Sebastião of Portugal suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the King Abd al-Malik of Morocco, which ended Portugal's ambitions to invade and Christianize the Maghreb. Both Kings died during the battle. The death of King Sebastião started the events which led to the temporary Union of Portugal and Spain under Philip II of Spain. Whereas the victory of King Abd al-Malik gave Morocco substantial strength and international prestige.

The city experienced a substantial growth with the settling of an important Spanish garrison in 1911 as a part of the Spanish Morocco Protectorate in Morocco. After Morocco's independence and the building of the Oued el Makhazine reservoir by King Hassan II to manage the Loukkos' river regime, the city has turned into an important regional agricultural distribution center.