Mohammed V of Morocco
King of Morocco Sultan of Morocco Emperor of Al Magreb (1957-1958)
Sultan Mohammed V of Morocco visiting Lawrence Livermore Lab, United States, in 1957
Reign	1927 - 1961
Born	August 10, 1909(1909-08-10)
Birthplace	Rabat, Morocco
Died	February 26, 1961 (aged 51)
Place of death	Rabat, Morocco
Predecessor	Yusef
Successor	Hassan II
Consort	Lalla Bahia (3rd wife)
Royal House	Alaouite dynasty

Mohammed V's tomb inside his mausoleum at Rabat, with Hassan II's tomb in the background

Mohammed V (August 10, 1909 – February 26, 1961) (Arabic: محمد الخامس‎) was Sultan of Morocco from 1927 to 1953, exiled from 1953-55, where he was again recognized as Sultan upon his return, and King from 1957 to 1961. His full name was Sidi Mohammed ben Yusef, or Son of (Sultan) Yusef, upon whose death he succeeded to the throne. He was a member of the Alaouite Dynasty.

On August 20, 1953, the French who were occupying Morocco at the time forced Mohammed V and his family into exile on Corsica. A relative of his, Mohammed Ben Aarafa, was placed on the throne.

Mohammed V and his family were then transferred to Madagascar in January 1954. Mohammed V returned from exile on November 16, 1955, again recognized as Sultan after active opposition to the French protectorate. In February 1956 he successfully negotiated with France for the independence of Morocco, and in 1957 took the title of King. He successfully depended on Ahmed Belbachir Haskouri, the right-hand man of the caliph of Spanish Morocco, to facilitate the independence process for Spanish Morocco during his visit to Madrid to sign the independence. The sultan equally depended on Belbachir after independence to administratively absorb the previously separated protectorate-Spanish Morocco.

[edit] Death

He died on February 26, 1961 after a minor operation.^[1]

[edit] Legacy

The Mohammed V International Airport of Casablanca is named after him, as well as numerous universities and various public spaces across Morocco. There is an Avenue Mohammed V in nearly every Moroccan city.

Among his wives was Lalla Abla bint Tahar, who became the mother of his son and successor Hassan II.

In December, 2007, The Forward reported on a secret diplomatic initiative by the Moroccan government to have Mohammed V admitted to the Righteous Among the Nations.^[2]

[edit] Honours

• Order of Blood of Tunisia
• Grand Cross of the Legion d'Honneur of France-1927
• Companion of the Order of the Liberation of France-1945
• Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit of the United States of America-1945
• Grand Collar of the Order of the Yoke and Arrows of Francoist Spain-1956
• Grand Collar of the Order of Idris I of the Kingdom of Libya-1956
• Collar of the Order of the Hashemites of the Kingdom of Iraq-1956
• Grand Cordon of the Order of Oumayyad of Syria-1960
• Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of Lebanon, special class-1960
• Collar of the Order of the Nile of the Republic of Egypt-1960
• Collar of the Order of Hussein ibn Ali of Jordan-1960
• Grand Cordon of the King Abdul Aziz Decoration of Saudi Arabia-1960

[edit] See also

• List of Kings of Morocco
• History of Morocco
• Mausoleum of Mohammed V
• Mohammed V University

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Morocco's Alaoui dynasty
• History of Morocco (french)