Morocco, a country in North Africa, has its history filled with numerous fascinating tales. However, few are as intriguing as the story of Sultan Moulay Ismail famously known as ” The Bloodthirsty” . Moulay Ismail reigned from 1672 to 1727 and is famous for having over 800 children.
His reign is one of the most remarkable periods in Moroccan history blending both incredible achievements and ruthless actions as reported below.
Moulay Ismail ibn Sharif was born in 1645 and ascended to the throne in 1672. He become the second ruler of the Alaouite dynasty which still rules Morocco today. His reign lasted a total of 55 years thus making it one of the longest in Moroccan history.
Moulay Ismail was a powerful and ambitious leader who was known for his military campaigns that expanded and consolidated Moroccan territories.
One of the things that made this monarch unique was his love for women. He had four legitimate wives and reportedly hundreds of concubines. The exact number varies among sources but it’ s generally agreed that he had about 500 concubines.
These women lived in his vast palace complex located in Meknes. This was a city Moulay Ismail developed significantly during his reign. Moulay Ismail’ s large harem led to a remarkable number of children.
According to the Guinness World Records the monarch fathered at least 888 children, although some sources suggest the number could be higher. This extraordinary feat is attributed to his long reign and the large number of women in his harem.
