Here’s a full list of the monarchs of Morocco, including both the current Alawi dynasty and key rulers from earlier Islamic dynasties. Morocco has had a long and complex royal history, but the modern monarchy began with the Alawi dynasty, which has ruled since the 17th century.
Monarchs of Morocco – Alawi Dynasty (Current Ruling Dynasty)
| Name | Reign | Notes |
|---|
1. Moulay Ali Cherif
- Reign: 1631–1636
- Founder of the Alawi dynasty (claimed descent from Prophet Muhammad)
2. Moulay Mohammed
- Reign: 1636–1664
- Son of Moulay Ali Cherif
3. Moulay Rashid
- Reign: 1666–1672
- Unified Morocco under the Alawi rule
4. Moulay Ismail
- Reign: 1672–1727
- One of Morocco’s most powerful sultans; known for centralizing power and building Meknes
5. Moulay Ahmed ad-Dhahabi
- Reign: 1727–1728
- Short reign, son of Moulay Ismail
6. Moulay Abdalmalik
- Reign: 1728
- Very short reign during succession crisis
7. Moulay Abdullah
- Reign: Multiple times between 1729–1757
- Frequent power shifts between brothers
8. Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah (Mohammed III)
- Reign: 1757–1790
- Established diplomatic relations with the USA (recognized U.S. independence)
9. Moulay Yazid
- Reign: 1790–1792
- Known for religious extremism
10. Moulay Slimane
- Reign: 1792–1822
- Promoted Islamic orthodoxy
11. Moulay Abd al-Rahman
- Reign: 1822–1859
- Faced colonial pressure from France
12. Sidi Mohammed IV
- Reign: 1859–1873
13. Moulay Hassan I
- Reign: 1873–1894
- Modernized the army and tried to strengthen state control
14. Moulay Abdelaziz
- Reign: 1894–1908
- His rule led to political instability and colonial interference
15. Moulay Abdelhafid
- Reign: 1908–1912
- Signed the Treaty of Fez, which made Morocco a French protectorate
16. Moulay Youssef
- Reign: 1912–1927
- Sultan under the French protectorate
17. Mohammed V
- Reign: 1927–1953, 1955–1961
- Exiled by French (1953), returned as hero
- Led Morocco to independence (1956)
- Became King instead of Sultan in 1957
18. Hassan II
- Reign: 1961–1999
- Centralized monarchy, survived multiple coups
- Ruled during the “Years of Lead” and transitioned toward reforms in the 1990s
19. Mohammed VI (Current Monarch)
- Reign: 1999–present
- Modernizing figure, promoted women’s rights, economic reforms
- Popular for infrastructure development and diplomacy
- Oversaw constitutional reform in 2011 after Arab Spring
Key Facts:
- The title changed from “Sultan” to “King” in 1957
- The Alawi dynasty remains one of the oldest ruling dynasties in the Islamic world
