Mogador

In the 18th century many visitors came to Mogador by ship and entered the medina by the great gateway Bab El Mersa of Scala the Port, which was ordered to be built in 1766 by Sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah the founder of the modern city of Essaouira. But the Mogador Bay and its islands have been occupied since prehistoric times.

Prehistory

Morocco was in early history time inhabited by the Imazighen (known as Chleuh - an ethnic Berber group). Archeological research show that they have been fishing in The Mogador Bay, 2000 to 3000 BC.

See also: History Timeline

The Mogador Bay is almost closed by the large Island of Mogador, making it a relatively peaceful harbour protected against the strong winds of the area. The site has long been considered as one of the best anchorages of the Moroccan coast. The rich fishing waters and the access of fresh water was valuable assets. The supply of wood and stones facilitated the building of fortifications. Mogador was a perfect base for further explorations south at the African coast and west at the Atlantic.

In the 6th century BC, the Phoenicians founded a settlement at the island and they named it Migdal , Migdol ("watchtower"). They also established an production facility for indigo die (Royal blue) on the Island (Iles Purpuraires). The sea snail harvested for this production was Hexaplex trunculus also known as Murex trunculus. Murex brandaris and Purpura hemastoma was other purple shells.

Hanno the Navigator (also known as Hanno II of Carthage) was a Carthaginian explorer (500 BC), best known for his naval exploration of the African coast, visited Mogador and started iron mining at Jbel Hadid.

The Islands of Mogador (Iles Purpuraires) acquired some reputation in the Roman Empire and the King of Maurtania, Juba II, (Yuba in Imazigh) sent a contingent to "the Purple Island" to re-establish the ancient Phoenician dye manufacturing process.

Read more about the older names of Esaouira in
Origin of the name Mogador

The major influence on Moroccan culture is Islam, brought to North Africa by the Arabs. They began bringing their civilization in the 7th century and the Alaouite dynasty, which claims descent from the Prophet Mohammed, has ruled Morocco since 1649.

Mogador has a major crossroads of cultures,
connecting with the Haha Berbers and Chiadma Arabs.

The historians during the middle ages describes the site as a fortified town and a place of wintering for the navigators on the river of Amkdour (Oued Ksob).

In 1506, the king of Portugal, D. Manuel I ordered a fortress to be built in Mogador, named "Castelo Real de Mogador" but the Portuguese only stayed in Mogador for 19 years. Local people then controlled the site.During the 16th century, various powers including Spain, England, the Netherlands and France tried in vain to conquer Mogador.

Ideally situated with regard to the trade winds of the North Atlantic, Mogador prospered in the triangular trade between Europe, Africa and the Americas 17th - 19th century.Goods and slaves from the sub-saharan Africa through the caravan trade passed through and Mogador had its own export of sugar and molasses from the middle ages to the 17th century. European cloth, Chinese tea was brought by the Europeans.
It is said that Essaouira remained a haven for the anchoring of pirates.

18 th century

The town revived with the Sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah who let build the Scala fortifications and the port and create a prosperous environment for commerce and trade. Essaouira became a meetingplace of many cultures; the Arabs, the Jews ,the Amazigh and nearly a thousand Europeans (British, Danish, Dutch, French, Germans, Italians, Portuguese and Spanish) who had consulates in the Kasbah of the medina (the old town).

Mogador was the most important trading port of Morocco until mid 19th century. During the French protectorate 1912 - 1956, Casablanca grew up in the North and Agadir in the South and there were better ports built for modern ships.

Mogador

Prehistory

18 th century

On the walls of the Scala the Port towers there are a carved inscription in sandstone. It is Arabic calligraphy and reads “Barakat Mohammed” " blessing of Mohammed – prophet of Islam". Inagurated by the Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah calling about divine protection of the town.

Mogador

On the walls of the Scala the Port towers
there are a carved inscription in sandstone.
It is Arabic calligraphy and reads
“Barakat Mohammed”
" blessing of Mohammed
– prophet of Islam".

Inagurated by the Sultan Sidi
Mohammed ben Abdallah calling
about divine protection of the town.