Ahmad al-Araj

Abou al - Abbas Ahmed al - Araj ibn Muhammad al -Mahdi (Arabic: أبو العباس أحمد الأعرج بن محمد المهدي, DMG Abū al - ʿ Abbās Aḥmad al -A ʿ ruǧ b. Muhammad al -Mahdi ) was sheikh of the Saadian in Morocco from 1517 to 1544th

After the death of Abu Abdallah al - Qa'im Ahmad al - Araj took over the leadership of the Saadian. He shared his reign, however, with his younger brother Mohammed ech - Cheikh. After they had secured their rule in southern Morocco, they took on the fight against Ouattasiden and Portuguese. Ahmed al - Araj conquered in 1524 Marrakech and imputed the tribes of the Atlas Mountains of his reign. Now Ahmed resided in Marrakech and Mohammed in Taroudant.

With the help of French and Dutch arms dealer the troops of the Saadian were equipped with firearms and several campaigns against Fes are taken. Although the Saadian mediated by marabouts first had to retire again, but they were able to consolidate power and prestige in southern Morocco by the expulsion of the Portuguese from Agadir on. However, it came in 1544 to the final break between the brothers, which asserted itself in the erupting power struggle Mohammed ech - Cheikh Ahmed al- Araj and fled to the Ouattasiden. In 1555 he supported Bou Hassoun in the fight against Mohammed ech - Cheikh, but was defeated.