King Hassan II

Rabat, Royal Palace

King Hassan II has been on the throne since 1962, when he succeeded his late father, Sultan Mohammed V. Hassan is one of the few true autocrats in the world. Despite the appearances of a constitutional democracy, Hassan rules supreme. Part of his legitimacy is rooted in his family (the Alaouis) historical relationship to the Prophet Mohammed. Hassan is a direct descendant of the Prophet's son in law, Ali. Hassan is considered head of the faith, Islamic "commander of the faithful," in Morocco. The Alaouis, known for their piety and scholarship, were invited to settle in Morocco in the 1200s A.D., and rose to power in their native oasis district in southeast Morocco, the Tafilalt, in the early 1600s. Hassan is not only a skillful actor in domestic politics and society but is a powerful, behind-the-scenes politician on the world stage.

-Name the leaders of the Maghrib countries (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya)

-Can you identify other autocrats in the world? Which of them are kings?

Here, King Hassan appears in an official ceremony marking his accession to the throne, Throne Day, which is a national holiday each March 3. His entourage includes palace guards (in red tunics), national police (gray uniforms), Islamic officials (in white overgarments, of fouqiya), and handservants. Several men are wearing the traditional yellow slipper, or belgha. The King is shaded by a wooden parasol carried by a handservant. The king is riding a magnificent Arabian horse.

-What relationship do you see between power and the relationship of King Hassan and the other people in this image?

-If you could meet King Hassan, what would you tell him about your country?