Mawlay Zidan Abu Maali, sultan of Morocco of the Saadi Dynasty (r. 1603 – 1627), son of Ahmad al-Mansur, residing in Marrakech.
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During the reign of Zidan, after the death of Mulay al-Mansur in 1603, Morocco progressively fell into a state of anarchy, with the Sultan losing authority.[1] Salé became a sort of independent Republic.[1] Morocco was in a state of civil war with warlords taking territory from Zidan, such as Ahmed ibn Abi Mahalli in the South and Sidi al-Ayachi in the North.[2] The Spanish also seized the opportunity to capture the cities of Larache in 1610 and then al-Ma'mura.[2]
Mulay Zidan established friendly relations with the Low Countries, with the help of envoys such as Samuel Pallache, and from 1609, he established a Treaty of Friendship. He sent several more envoys to the Low Countries, such as Muhammad Alguazir, Al-Hajari and Yusuf Biscaino.[3]
James I of England sent John Harisson to Muley Zaydan in Morocco in 1610 and again in 1613 and 1615 in order to obtain the release of English captives.[4]
By a coincidence the complete library of this sultan has been transmitted to us to the present day. Due to strange circumstances in a civil war the sultan Zidan Abu Maali had his complete collection transferred to a ship. The commander of the ship 'stole' the ship and brought it to Spain where the collection was transmitted to El Escorial.[5]
| Preceded by Ahmad al-Mansur |
Saadi Dynasty 1603–1627 |
Succeeded by Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik II |