First Moroccan Crisis

European history [1905–1906]

Also known as: Tangier Incident

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June 26, 2026

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The First Moroccan Crisis (1905-1906) was an international dispute centered on France's ambitions to control Morocco and Germany's efforts to counter French influence. In 1904, France had made agreements with Spain and Britain regarding Morocco. However, Germany, under Kaiser Wilhelm II, challenged this by advocating for Morocco's independence and integrity, famously declaring this from his yacht in Tangier.123

This led to a significant international panic, the First Moroccan Crisis, which was ultimately resolved at the Algeciras Conference in 1906. While the conference upheld German economic rights and entrusted France and Spain with policing Morocco, it also revealed substantial diplomatic support for France from Britain and the United States, foreshadowing future alliances. The crisis ended with Germany acquiescing to French predominance in Morocco, marking a failure in German foreign policy at the time.142

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Moroccan crises
The resultant international panic, the First Moroccan Crisis, was resolved in January–April 1906 at the Algeciras Conference, where German and other national economic rights were upheld and where the French and Spanish were entrusted with the policing of Morocco.
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The resultant international panic, the First Moroccan Crisis, was resolved in January–April 1906 at the Algeciras Conference, where German and other national economic rights were upheld and where the French and Spanish were entrusted with the policing of Morocco.
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Entente Cordiale
…1905 (the Tangier Incident, or First Moroccan Crisis), and thus upset the Entente, served only to strengthen it. Military discussions between the French and the British general staffs were soon initiated. Franco-British solidarity was confirmed at the Algeciras Conference (1906) and reconfirmed in the Second Moroccan Crisis (1911).
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…1905 (the Tangier Incident, or First Moroccan Crisis), and thus upset the Entente, served only to strengthen it. Military discussions between the French and the British general staffs were soon initiated. Franco-British solidarity was confirmed at the Algeciras Conference (1906) and reconfirmed in the Second Moroccan Crisis (1911).
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German Empire
The First Moroccan Crisis (1905–06)
The policy of “the free hand,” which Bülow conducted on Holstein’s advice, assumed that Great Britain, France, and Russia would always remain on bad terms, because of their conflicts in Africa and the Far East. So long as these conflicts continued,…
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The policy of “the free hand,” which Bülow conducted on Holstein’s advice, assumed that Great Britain, France, and Russia would always remain on bad terms, because of their conflicts in Africa and the Far East. So long as these conflicts continued,…
Read More