Ismail Ibn Sharif in the context of "Alawi dynasty"

The Alawi Sultanate, officially known as the Sharifian Sultanate (Arabic: السلطنة الشريفة) and as the Sultanate of Morocco, was the state ruled by the Alawi dynasty over what is now Morocco, from their rise to power in the 1660s to the 1912 Treaty of Fes that marked the start of the French protectorate.

The dynasty, which remains the ruling monarchy of Morocco today, originated from the Tafilalt region and rose to power following the collapse of the Saadi Sultanate in the 17th century. Sultan al-Rashid (r. 1666–1672) was the first to establish his authority over the entire country. The sultanate reached an apogee of political power during the reign of his successor, Moulay Isma'il (r. 1672–1727), who exercised strong central rule.

Abul Amlak Moulay Sharif ibn 'Ali (Arabic: مولايَ الشَّرِيف بْن عَلِيّ بْن مُحَمَّد بْن عَلِيّ بْن يوسف بْن عَلِيّ; born c. 1589 – June 4, 1659) was an Arab Emir of Tafilalt from 1631 to 1636. He was a sharif whose family claimed to be descended from the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandson Hasan. Moulay Sharif is considered to be the founder of the Alaouite Dynasty of Morocco for being the father of Sidi Muhammad, Al-Rashid of Morocco, and Ismail Ibn Sharif.

Meknes (Arabic: مكناس, romanized: maknās, pronounced [maknaːs]) is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco, located in northern central Morocco and the sixth largest city by population in the kingdom. Founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids as a military settlement, Meknes became the capital of Morocco during the reign of Sultan Ismail Ibn Sharif (1672–1727), son of the founder of the Alaouite dynasty. Sultan Ismail created a massive imperial palace complex and endowed the city with extensive fortifications and monumental gates. The city recorded a population of 551,503 in the 2024 Moroccan census. It is the seat of Meknès Prefecture and an important economic hub in the region of Fès-Meknès.

Thami El Glaoui (Arabic: التهامي الكلاوي, romanized: Thāmī al-Glāwī; 1879–23 January 1956) was the Pasha of Marrakesh from 1912 to 1956. His family name was el Mezouari, from a title given an ancestor by Ismail Ibn Sharif in 1700, while El Glaoui refers to his chieftainship of the Glaoua (Glawa) tribe of the Berbers of southern Morocco, based at the Kasbah of Telouet in the High Atlas and at Marrakesh. El Glaoui became head of the Glaoua upon the death of his elder brother, Si el-Madani, and as an ally of the French protectorate in Morocco, conspired with them in the overthrow of Sultan Mohammed V.

On October 25 of 1955, El-Glaoui announced his acceptance of Mohammed V's restoration as well as Morocco's independence.

Guich tribes, Gish tribes, or Jaysh tribes (Arabic: ڭيش, romanized: gīsh or Arabic: جيش, romanized: jaysh / jīsh, lit. 'Army'), or sometimes Makhzen tribes, were tribes of usually Arab origin organized by the sultans of Moroccan dynasties under the pre-colonial Makhzen regime to serve as troops and military garrisons, as well as to protect the outskirts of the capital and suppress rebellions. They were usually cantoned in their own lands and maintained a state of perpetual military mobilization. The contingents were formed in order to be loyal to the sultan only instead of to other local interests, but they often maintained a coherent group identity long after the death of the sultan and were sometimes the source of political instability. The historical guich system took shape primarily under the reign of the 'Alawid sultan Mawlay Isma'il, although variations of similar military organisations were used by prior rulers and dynasties. The major historical guich tribes were the Cheraga, the Udayas, the Cherarda, and the Bwakher. The guich constituted one of the main parts of the Moroccan army.