Kasbah Tamdert Explained

Kasbah Tamdert is a fortress and kasbah in Fes, Morocco. It is located near Bab Ftouh in southern Fes el-Bali.

History

The kasbah was built in the 16th century on the orders of the Saadian sultan Muhammad al-Shaykh in 1549.^{[1] [2]} The Saadians, who had their capital at Marrakech, built forts around Fes to keep its population under control as much as for defending it from outside enemies.^[3] Kasbah Tamdert was the first of the Saadian fortifications built in the city, consisting of a simple walled enclosure (a kasbah), while years later the Saadians built the heavier fortresses of Borj Nord, Borj Sud, and the bastions on the eastern side of Fes el-Jdid.^[4] The name Tamdert was a local Amazigh (Berber) name. The kasbah continued to be used for military purposes up to the 20th century, when it served as the barracks of the sultan's tabors in 1911 and continued to be used as a barracks during the French Protectorate period (1912–1956).

Notes and References

1. Kafas. Samir. November 16–17, 2011. Guerres et fortifications au Maroc Sa'adien (XVIe – XVIIe siècles): l'apport des sources historiques. L'Archéologie islamique au Maroc entre le texte historique et l'enquête de terrain: Actes du premier Congrès National sur le Patrimoine Culturel Marocain. Rabat.
2. Book: Laoukili, Montaser. Arquitectura Militar y Artilleria en el Norte de África: De la Fortificación Islámica a los Modelos Abaluartados. Servicio de Publicaciones del Centro UNED. 2007. Bravo Nieto. Antonio. Melilla. 167–188. Los Basatin Saadianos de Fez. Aspectos de la arquitectura defensiva en Marruecos a finales del siglo XVI.
3. Book: Le Tourneau, Roger. Fès avant le protectorat: étude économique et sociale d'une ville de l'occident musulman. Société Marocaine de Librairie et d'Édition. 1949. Casablanca.
4. Book: Métalsi, Mohamed. Fès: La ville essentielle. ACR Édition Internationale. 2003. 978-2867701528. Paris. 37.