Moulay Ali Cherif

Abul Amlak Sidi Muhammad as-Sharif ibn 'Ali was an Arab prince of Tafilalt from 1631 to 1636. He was born before 9 November 1589 as the sixth son of 'Ali ibn Muhammad as-Sharif al-Marrakchit. Other names or spellings of his name are, among others: Moulay Ali Cherif, Moulay Muhammad I, Moulay Mohammed I, Sharif Sultan Abul, Muhammad al-Sharif, etc. He is considered to have been the founder of the Alaouite Dynasty of Morocco. He began to increase his power in the Tafilalt during the anarchy following the death of the Saadi ruler Ahmad al-Mansur and ruled that region from 1631 to 1636. He abdicated the throne of Tafilalt in 1636 in favour of his eldest of fifteen sons, Muhammad ibn Sharif.