1 Rial Morocco Silver Abd al-Hafid of Morocco (1875 - 1937)

Reference: KM-25.

Mint Date: 1911 (AH1329)

Denomination: Rial (10 Dirhams)

Material: Silver (.835) Weight: 24.98gm Diameter: 38mm

Abdelhafid of Morocco (or Mulai Abd al-Hafiz) (1873–1937) served as the Sultan of Morocco from 1908 to 1912, as a member of the Alaouite Dynasty. His younger brother, Abdelaziz of Morocco, preceded him. Abdelaziz was considered by many in Morocco as a puppet of the French. He was backed by Madani al-Glaoui, older brother of T’hami one of the so called Lords of the Atlas. He was assisted in the training of his troops by Andrew Belton, a British officer and veteran of the Second Boer War. For a brief period Abdelaziz reigned from Rabat while Abdelhafid reigned in Marrakech and Fez was disputed. In 1908 Abdelaziz was defeated in battle. Abdelhafid’s reign was unfortunate, to say the least. His only success would be the fact that he was able to arrest the pretender Bou Hmara in 1909. Abdelhafid abdicated in favor of his brother Yusef after signing the Treaty of Fez on March 30, 1912, which made Morocco a French protectorate. He signed his abdication only when on the quay in Rabat, with the ship that would bring him to France already waiting. After an extended visit to France, where he received a great deal of attention from the press, he returned to Morocco and was exiled to the Dar el Makzhen (Sultanate Palace) in Tangier.