The Principality of Debdou was an autonomous hereditary viceroyalty that existed in eastern Morocco from 1430 to 1563, with its capital at Debdou. It was governed by the Ouartajin, a dynasty of Berber descent, related to the Marinids and Wattasids.[1][2]
Principality of Debdou إمارة دبدو (Arabic) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1430–1563 | |||||||||
 Map of Morocco in 1515. The Principality of Debdou is in the east. | |||||||||
| Capital | Debdou | ||||||||
| Religion | Islam, Judaism | ||||||||
| Government | Hereditary monarchy | ||||||||
| Emir | |||||||||
• 1430–1460 (first) | Musa ibn Hammu | ||||||||
• 1460–1485 | Ahmad ibn Musa | ||||||||
• 1485–1515 | Muhammad ibn Ahmad | ||||||||
• 1515–1550 | Muhammad II | ||||||||
• 1550–1563 (last) | Ammar | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 1430 | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 1563 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | Morocco | ||||||||
History
The Principality of Debdou was first established in 1430 as a governorate of Morocco, then ruled by the Marinids. Debdou served as a march of the Marinid Sultanate against the Abd al-Wadid Kingdom of Tlemcen.[3]
By the second half of the 15th century, the Ouartajin gained more autonomy towards Fez, as the Marinids lost their prestige and most of their power to the Wattasid Viziers.[1] The Principality became fully autonomous when Muhammad ibn Ahmed was appointed Viceroy of Debdou by the Wattasid Sultan Muhammad ibn Yahya (r. 1472–1504).[1]
During the last years of the reign of Muhammad II, the Principality of Debdou became a tributary state of the Saadians.[1] Moulay Ammar assisted the Ottomans in the Capture of Fez in 1554[4][5] and later defected to the Saadians in the Battle of Wadi al-Laban in 1558 against the Turks of Hasan Pasha.[6][7] In 1563, the Saadi Sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib overthrew the Ouartajin and made Debdou a fully dependent Pashalik of Morocco, serving to defend against the Ottoman Empire.[1]
List of Emirs
| Reign | Emir | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1430–1460 | Musa ibn Hammu | Appointed governor of Debdou. |
| 1460–1485 | Ahmad ibn Musa | |
| 1485–1515 | Muhammad ibn Ahmad | Appointed Viceroy of Debdou after being besieged by Muhammad ibn Yahya. |
| 1515–1550 | Muhammad II | Became tributary of the Saadi Sultanate. |
| 1550–1563 | Ammar | Annexation of the Principality following his death by Abdallah al-Ghalib. |