Winds of the West

Amidst the gilded splendor of 11th-century Seville, the Abbadid Kingdom teeters on the edge of ruin. Poetry and intrigue entwine as Al-Mutamid, the philosopher warrior-king, navigates a court of ambition, love, and betrayal. With rival empires pressing close and whispers of rebellion within, the city of amber and gold becomes a stage for the twilight of a dynasty—a tale of fleeting glory, forbidden desire, and the mournful song of a kingdom’s end.

Music:

Max Richter, James Heather, Jóhannsson, Sufjan Stevens, and Farya Faraji

(00:00) Andalusian Lament Song

(00:39) Lament for the Fall of Seville

(01:35) Welcome Back

(03:09) The Taifa Kingdoms

(11:23) From the Ashes of Empire, Rises A Dynasty 

(15:58) A King of Blood and Beauty

(20:24) The Almoravid Alliance

(23:18) The Fall of Paradise

(26:32) To Dust We Shall Return

Welcome back to Winds of the West, the Moroccan history Podcast part of the Cherifian Winds initiative.

Let's dive straight into the Rise and Fall of the Almoravid dynasty, the builders of the first Moroccan Empire.

(00:11) Introduction

(01:50) A Sandstorm is Brewing

(03:44) Abdallah ibn Yassin

(05:43) Rise of a Dynasty

(09:03) The Call of Andalusia

(11:00) The Battle of Sagrajas

(14:44) The Expansion Continues

(15:57) The Decline

(18:43) Almoravid and Beyond

In this episode, we will discover a new entity that grew in synchronicity with early-modern Morocco: Andalusia. Understanding the social and cultural makeup of Andalusia in its first 3 centuries of existence, when it was ruled by the caliphal Umayyad dynasty, is essential before we embark on the rise of the Moroccan Empires. So let’s delve in this paradise lost.

In the fifth episode of Winds of the West, we will talk about Morocco’s first dynasty and the ones traditionally considered as the “founders of Morocco”: the Idrisids, who held the Moroccan throne from AD789 to AD974. Who were they? Where did they come from? Why are they considered the founders of Morocco when we know other Moroccan states existed at the time?

Who were the Amazigh Moroccan States born out of the Great Berber Revolt of AD 739? In this episode, we are exploring the origins of modern Morocco and the root of its independence in the eighth century AD.