Hassan, after taking a law degree at Bordeaux, France, was appointed commander of the Royal Armed … He was actively involved in his father's campaign for Moroccan independence. Not all the Saharans supported the Moroccan and Mauritanian takeover, and those who did not formed the Polisario Front to fight for independence.They received strong support from Algeria, and were recognised by some 70 governments worldwide. This strategy proved successful. Relations with France, hitherto cordial, fell to a low ebb; French aid was cut, but the king refused to be intimidated. Queen Elizabeth's visit to Morocco in 1980 and the unpredictable King Hassan II.From the William Shawcross documentary "Queen & Country" (2002) Omissions? In 1993, after signing the agreement with the PLO, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin paid a formal visit to Morocco. In May 1999, King Hassan organized the first meeting of the World Union of Moroccan Jews, in Marrakech. King Hassan II of Morocco, who ascended the throne as a playboy prince yet matured into one of the Arab world's most respected statesmen and a strong voice for … Take advantage of our Presidents' Day bonus! Hassan was always anxious to prove that there was no hostility towards those of Jewish faith; he appointed Jewish officials within his government, and the chief rabbi was, equally with representatives of the Christian churches, invited to the palace for important celebrations. If the monarchy has always strived to co-opt political … The Moroccan youths had high expectations of th… Moulay Hassan was the elder son of the sultan of Morocco, Sidi Mohammed ben Youssef. This closeness was to some extent possible because of Hassan’s moderate positions on the state of Israel. In foreign affairs he cultivated markedly closer relations with the United States and the West than his father had. The title of the autobiography of King Hassan II of Morocco, who has died aged 70, was The Challenge, and it is a fitting description of how he viewed his life. Hassan, after taking a law degree at Bordeaux, France, was appointed commander of the Royal Armed Forces (1955) and deputy premier (1960) and succeeded to the throne on the death of his father, Muḥammad V (1961). The meeting with King Hassan II of Morocco took place on December 18, 1993, at his Rabat palace. On July 10, 1971, King Hassan held a large party at his seaside palace in Skhirat to celebrate his birthday. Hassan was considered by pious Muslims to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (Ahl al-Bayt). Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Sidi Mohammed adopted the title of King Mohammed V and retained the authoritarian system of government. King Hassan II of Morocco, a sage and worldly Muslim leader who played a peacemaker's role in the Middle East and outfoxed plotters in several coup … King Hassan of Morocco on the front line of guerrilla in Western Sahara Kungahus, morocco, royalty, prince, king. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. (January 12, 2021 / JCPA) From 1992 to 1994, I served as political adviser to the late Israeli Prime Minister and Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Hassan II, original name Mawlāy al-Ḥasan Muḥammad ibn Yūsuf, (born July 9, 1929, Rabat, Mor.—died July 23, 1999, Rabat), king of Morocco from 1961 to 1999. Hassan’s death in the summer of 1999 caused great unrest among the religious, military and political leaders of Morocco. The first was financed by Yugoslavia, two by the Soviet Union, two by Rumania and one by Bulgaria. BBC's Nick Pelham in Rabat: King Hassan held the country together At the time of his death, he was the Arab world's longest reigning monarch. Three-quarters of the population lived on the land, and the construction of six major dams was an urgent necessity to irrigate a further 200,000 hectares for cultivation and increase electricity production. Moulay Hassan, Hassan II, King of Morocco, born July 9, 1929; died July 23, 1999, This obituary appeared in later editions on Saturday, Your support powers our independent journalism, Available for everyone, funded by readers. His son became minister of defence, and was invested with the title of crown prince on January 9, 1957. She survives him, along with Crown Prince Sidi Mohammed, another son and three daughters. A proposed referendum under UN auspices is currently stalled over the definition of who has the right to vote. His eldest son, Mawlāy Hassan, became chief of staff, and by degrees successfully integrated the irregular liberation forces into the military even after they had supported an uprising against the Spanish in Ifni and against the French in Mauritania.…. All rights reserved. This is the list of rulers of Morocco, since the establishment of the first Moroccan state in 789. The coffin of King Hassan II, carried by King Mohamed VI, his brother Prince Moulay Rachid and his cousin Moulay Hicham, was covered with a green fabric, in which the first prayer of Islam, "There is no god but Allah", is i… During the chill in Franco-Moroccan relations, when he turned to the Soviet Bloc for aid, he went to Moscow. Hassan II was born in Rabat, Morocco on July 9, 1929. With a demographic growth rate of 2.8 per cent a year, Morocco's population expanded from some 8.5m on independence in 1956 to an estimated population of 28.3m in 1995 - with half the population under the age of 20. However, Hassan declared a state of emergency and suspended parliament in 1965. In the days of the French protectorate, there was a substantial Jewish population, but with the establishment of Israel in 1948, there was a steady emigration of Jews. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. The Alawite dynasty, which claims descent from the prophet Mohammed, became rulers of the country in the late 17th century. The United Nations organised a ceasefire to be effective from 1991. Most of the power remained in his hands, but it did provide for the election of a chamber of representatives, two thirds to be chosen by universal suffrage of all citizens of legal age, both male and female, the remainder being chosen by an electoral college representing professions and wage earners.