Ismail Ibn Sharif (1645–1727)
Born 1645 CE, died 1727 CE.
Moulay Ismail Ibn Sharif (Arabic: أبو النَّصْرِ مولاي إسماعيل بن الشريف, romanized: Abu 'l-Naṣr Mawlāy Ismāʿīl ibn al-Sharīf, c. 1645 – 22 March 1727) was a Sultan of Morocco from 1672 to 1727, as the second ruler of the 'Alawi dynasty. He was the seventh son of Moulay Sharif and was governor of the province of Fez and the north of Morocco from 1667 until the death of his half-brother, Sultan Moulay Rashid in 1672. He was proclaimed sultan at Fez, but spent several years in conflict with his nephew Moulay Ahmed ben Mehrez, who also claimed the throne, until the latter's death in 1687. Moulay Ismail's 55-year reign is the longest of any sultan of Morocco. During his lifetime, Isma'il amassed a harem of over 500 women with more than 800 confirmed biological children, making him one of the most prodigious fathers in recorded history. The reign of Moulay Ismail marked a high watermark for Moroccan power. His military successes are explained by the creation of a strong army, originally relying on the 'Guichs' (especially the Udaya) and on the Black Guard (or Abid al-Bukhari), black slaves who were totally devoted to him.
Text from the Wikipedia article Ismail_Ibn_Sharif, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.