The Zaouia Moulay Idriss II

The Zaouia Moulay Idriss II

The Zaouia Moulay Idriss II is a zaouia in Fes, Morocco, dedicated to and tomb of Moulay Idriss II, who ruled Morocco from 807 to 828 and founded the city of Fes for the second time in 810.

In the year 1308, almost five centuries since the death of Moulay Idriss II, an uncorrupted body was found on the spot.

People believed this was Moulay Idriss II and founded the Zaouia.

Originally built by the Marinids circa 1440, over the centuries the building was amended heavily, and almost completely replaced in the 18th century by Moulay Ismail in a style typical of the Alaouites that govern Morocco to this day.

Moulay Idriss II is the patron saint of the city of Fes, and it is believed that visiting his zaouia is beneficial for strangers visiting the city, boys before being circumcised and women wanting to facilitate childbirth.

The sanctity of the shrine in particular is esteemed very great, and this accounts flock to it.

The Tumiat door leading to it was once very fine, but is now much faded. Opposite to it is a refuge for friend-less sharifas—the female descendants of Muhammad—built by Mohammed XVII.

It is believed that the foundation stone of Fez was laid in 808 by Idris II.

Since then its history has been chequered, as it was successfully besieged no fewer than eight times in the first five hundred years of its existence, yet only once knew foreign masters, when in 1554 the Turks took possession of it without a siege and held it for a short time.

Fez became the chief residence of the Filali dynasty, who obtained possession of the town in 1649.

The population has been very varyingly estimated; probably the inhabitants number under one hundred thousand, even when the court is in residence.