Saʿādī

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July 16, 2026

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The Saʿdī dynasty was an Arab dynasty of sharifs that ruled Morocco between 1550 and 1688. They are noted for their splendid tombs in Marrakech. The Saʿdīs rose to power in response to Portuguese presence on the Moroccan coast, organizing a militant religious movement against both the Portuguese and Morocco's rulers at the time. They successfully expelled the Portuguese and consolidated their rule, reaching the height of their power under Aḥmad al-Manṣūr (1578–1603). After his death, internal conflicts led to the country being divided until reunited by another sharifian family, the ʿAlawites.12

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Egypt
Ethnic groups
…divided into two groups, the Saʿādī (not to be confused with the Ṣaʿīdī, Upper Egyptians) and the Mūrābiṭīn. The Saʿādī regard themselves as descended from Banū Hilāl and Banū Sulaym, the great Arab tribes that migrated to North Africa in the 11th century. The most important and numerous of the…
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…divided into two groups, the Saʿādī (not to be confused with the Ṣaʿīdī, Upper Egyptians) and the Mūrābiṭīn. The Saʿādī regard themselves as descended from Banū Hilāl and Banū Sulaym, the great Arab tribes that migrated to North Africa in the 11th century. The most important and numerous of the…
Read More