"Sayyida Al-Hurra: The Unyielding Sovereign of Tetouan"

By Afroz Khan, New Age Islam 17 June 2025 Sayyida Al-Hurra, born in 1485 in Chefchaouen, became Tetouan's governor after her husband’s death. A skilled leader, she built a navy to counter Iberian threats, allied with Barbarossa, and ruled courageously for 30 years, earning the title "Al-Hurra" for her independent sovereignty. Main Points: 1. Born 1485: Sayyida Al-Hurra, born in Chefchaouen, Morocco, from an Andalusian noble family. 2. Governor of Tetouan: Appointed after her husband’s death, ruled for 30 years. 3. Built Navy: Created a fleet to fight Spanish and Portuguese invasions. 4. Allied with Barbarossa: Collaborated with Ottoman corsair for defense. 5. Independent Ruler: Known as "Al-Hurra," maintained sovereignty despite marriage to Sultan. ------ Lalla Aisha bint Ali ibn Rashid al-Alami, known to history as Sayyida Al Hurra, was born in 1485 in the Moroccan city of Chefchaouen. Her father, Ali ibn Rashid al-Alami, belonged to a prominent Muslim family of Andalusian nobles who were expelled to Morocco after the fall of Granada and settled in Chefchaouen. He is also considered the founder of the city of Chefchaouen. He was a descendant of an Idrisid and Sufi saint, Abd as-Salam ibn Mashish al-Alami. As a child, Sayyida Al Hurra received a first-class education and was fluent in several languages, including Castilian, Spanish and Portuguese. famous Moroccan scholar Abdullah al-Ghazwani was one of her many teachers. Although her childhood was quite good, the pain of exile haunted her throughout her life. She was married to Sidi al-Mandri II, who was the grandson or nephew of Ali al-Mandri and the governor of the city of Tatouan. This marriage brought the two families closer and politically united the power of Tetouan and Chefchaouen. Sayyida al-Hurra has been intelligent and sharp-witted since childhood. She was a great help to her husband in his business affairs. While waging war against the Iberian forces, her husband was often in the field away from his Kasbah and left al-Hurra in charge in his absence. He also entrusted her with addressing certain issues as she was known for her ability to manage problems. She became the darling of the people of the city of Tatouan for her efficient administrative work. Her diplomatic decisions became the basis for the progress of Tatouan. When her husband died, the people appointed her as governor in his place because they were used to seeing her rule and were pleased with her style of administration. She was given the title of "Al-Hurra". The title Al-Hurra means "a noble woman who is free and independent" and "a female sovereign who does not bow before any higher authority". Her image is that of a woman who was strong, strong-willed, intelligent, well-educated and courageous These qualities were, undoubtedly, noticed and admired by her subjects and soldiers. She was the last person in Islamic history to hold this title legitimately. During Al-Hurra's three decades in power, the town was the centre of her government, housing, for example, the treasury and the prison. From this fortress, she was also in charge of supervising military operations and the city's defences, making major decisions with the assistance of advisors such as her brother, Ibrahim ben Rashid, who was Sultan al-Wattasi's minister in Fez. Despite originally deriving authority from her husband and brother, al-Hurra had her own distinct policies. She collaborated with the Ottoman corsair Barbarossa, allowing his ships to stop at Moroccan ports. This was intended to obtain a powerful ally against the Iberian threat. At that time the maritime area was under the terror of Spanish and Portuguese pirates. The maritime borders were not safe from their terror. Due to the lack of Morocco's naval force, Sayyida Al-Hurra formed a powerful navy. Her private fleet fought the Spanish and Portuguese invasions and expansion in Morocco. This private fleet of Sayyida al-Hurra served as the only legitimate navy in the region and protected the city of Tatouan from European invaders. Given the strategic importance of the Strait of Gibraltar connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, Spain and Portugal tried to occupy the cities of Morocco's northern coast. As a result, Al-Hurra was forced to defend her territory and prevent the Europeans from seizing it. To accomplish this goal, he conducted defensive as well as offensive campaigns. Her diplomatic acumen also led her to display her power at sea, her ships being manned by skilled sailors, particularly Andalusian immigrants, making them a major threat to Spanish and Portuguese ships. In 1541, Sayyida al-Hurra accepted the marriage proposal of Sultan Ahmad al-Wattasi of the Wattasid dynasty, but Sayyida al-Hurra had the marriage ceremony held in Tetouan. She did not want to give up the position of ruler of Tetouan, so Ahmad al-Wattasi himself came from Fez to the city of Tetouan for the marriage ceremony. This was the first time when the king of Morocco got married outside the capital. Although she gained political support through this new alliance, Sayyida al-Hurra insisted on showing everyone that she was not going to give up ruling Tetouan despite being married to the sultan. According to the Moroccan historian Muhammad ibn Azuz Hakim, she was "the only woman to have sovereign power in Morocco". She was a courageous Muslim woman who ruled with great valour for 30 years and broke many myths with her courage. Her reign reminds us that women can be as capable administratively as men and their diplomatic understanding. Her life made her both admirers and critics but she was undoubtedly a unique woman who succeeded in making her own identity as a female ruler even in those times. She spent the last days of her life in her father's hometown of Chefchoun. She died in 1552 near her father's house । ----- Afroz Khan is a teacher by profession. She primarily writes about women and Islam. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Education. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/sayyida-al-hurra-sovereign-tetouan/d/135890 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism