History
  Marrakech (Love Akouch) was founded in the year 1062 (454 Hijri) Abu Bakr Ibn Omar, sovereign and cousin Youssef Ibn Tachfin.
The name comes from Marrakech Tamazight Mour means "country" and Akouch meaning "God", giving "the land of God." Another etymology gives the interpretation of "land of course."
Soon, in Marrakech, led the Almoravids, pious warriors and austere scholars from the current Mauritanian desert, numerous mosques and madrassas (Koranic schools of theology) were built, and a shopping center draining traffic between Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa. Marrakech is growing rapidly and emerged as an influential cultural and religious center, and supplanting Aghmat Sijilmassa. Palaces were also built and decorated with the help of Andalucian craftsmen from Córdoba and Seville, who brought the Umayyad style characterized by poly-lobed arches and carved domes. The Andalusian influence merged with the elements or west Saharan African and was synthesized in an original architecture completely adapted to the specific environment of Marrakech. The city became the capital of the Emirate almoravide which stretched from the shores of Senegal to the center of Spain and the Atlantic coast to Algiers.

The city was then fortified by the son of Ibn Youssef Tachfin Ali Ben Youssef, who had built 1122-1123 to the walls still visible.
In 1147 the Almohad supporters of orthodox and Masmoudas tribes from the High Atlas Islam, seized the city. The last Almoravids were exterminated except those who went into exile in the Balearic Islands (family Banu Ghania). Therefore almost all the monuments were destroyed. The Almohad built numerous palaces and religious buildings, such as the famous Koutoubia Mosque built on the ruins of a palace Almoravid and sister of the Giralda in Seville and the Hassan Tower (unfinished) Rabat sister. The Casbah housed the Caliphate residence (since the reign of Abd al-Mumin Almohad ruler bore the title of caliph, rivaling the far eastern Abbasid caliphate), decorated with a hospital that caught the Andalusian physician Ibn Tufayl. From the majestic whole Kasbah mansourienne, named after the caliph Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur, are still the beautiful Bab Agnaw. Marrakech was well worthy to host the capital of the major power in the Mediterranean Muslim West at the time, the Almohad Empire that encompassed the area between Cordoba and Tripoli.
To feed the palm trees and large gardens, an irrigation system was built and perfected. Marrakech, by cultural influence attracted many writers and artists especially from Andalusia, including the famous philosopher Averroes known to have commented extensively and reinterpreted the work of Aristotle.
 

In 1269, Marrakech was conquered by nomadic Zenata the expense of the last Almohad. When there is the advent of Marinids, Marrakech then fell into a lethargy, and its decline resulted in the loss of its status as capital for the benefit of his great rival, Fez.
In the early sixteenth century, Marrakech again became the capital of the kingdom, having been the seat of the emirs Hintata. She quickly reestablished its peak, especially during the reign of the Saadian Sultan Mohammed El Mahdi and Ahmed al-Mansur Saadi. With the fortune amassed by the Sultans, Marrakech was embellished, monuments in ruins then restored and sumptuous palaces built. El Badi Palace erected by Ahmad al-Mansur, was a replica of the Alhambra, made with the most precious materials from Italy (marble), Sudan (gold dust), India (porphyry) and even Chinese (jade). The Badi also struck by his contemporaries Kubbat al Jujjaj, her "glass dome" made ​​of translucent crystal. But all this was to disappear, dismantled by order of Sultan Moulay Ismail to 1695 This palace was designed primarily to lavish VIP meetings from Spain, England and the Ottoman Empire, recognizing Morocco as a power saadien essential area of influence reached the borders of Niger and Mali in the Songhai Empire, large gold producing region. Under the reign of the Saadian dynasty, Marrakesh and found his role as a point of contact between the Maghreb, the Mediterranean basin and the sub-Saharan African world, through the caravan routes.
At the end of the seventeenth century, the Alawite dynasty succeeded the Saadian. The throne was successively transferred to Fez and Meknes, new imperial city. Sultan Mohammed III (1757-1790) chose the city as a place of residence, due to the proximity of Mogador (now Essaouira) it was build on plans for a French architect in his service. It is also in Marrakech that was concluded in 1787, the first treaty of friendship Moroccan-American. In 1792, Marrakech became the capital of a grand-son of Mohammed III, Hicham, who is recognize as sultan by this part of the country while his brother Sulayman was recognized legitimate Sultan in Fez by the ulama and the provinces north the river Oum Errabiaa. This led to a war between two rival sultans, which ended with the defeat of Hicham in 1796, despite the Spanish support he enjoyed. Marrakech was conquered by Sulayman in 1797 and the city reinstated the country's official makhzen Fez.
In the early twentieth century, Marrakech had several years of turmoil. After the death of Grand Vizier Ba Ahmed in 1900, the true ruler of chérifien Empire during the minority of the young Sultan Abd al-Aziz of Morocco, the country was in the grip of anarchy, tribal revolts, conspiracies major feudal, excluding European intrigues. In 1907, Moulay Abd al-Hafid, khalifa (representative makhzen) was proclaimed Sultan in Marrakech by the powerful tribes of the High Atlas and some ulama who denied the legitimacy of his brother Abd al-Aziz. Also in 1907, was assassinated a French doctor based in Marrakech, Dr. Mauchamp, suspected of spying for his country. France takes this case to enter his troops in Morocco, Oujda and Casablanca east to west. The French colonial army is still met with a strong run by Ahmed al-Hiba resistance, a son of the great Sheikh Maelainin mounted nomads of the Sahara with his warriors from the tribes Reguibat. After the Battle of Sidi Bou Othman, which saw the victory of the Mangin column on al-Hiba Forces (September 1912), the French seized Marrakesh and entered the French protectorate of Morocco established since March 1912. the conquest was facilitated by rallying Imzwarn tribes and leaders belonging to the powerful family of Glaouis.
One of them, Thami El Glaoui, became famous by going to the post of pasha of Marrakech, a position he held almost throughout the period of the Protectorate (44). The Pasha Glaoui became famous for its collaboration with the authorities of the general residence, which found its climax with the plot to dethrone Mohammed Ben Youssef (Mohammed V) to replace the cousin of the sultan, Ben Arafa. Thami El Glaoui, already known for its prestigious dating and lavish lifestyle worthy of a true monarch, and became a symbol marking the colonial and colonial order in Morocco. He could still oppose the rise of nationalist sentiment, or the hostility of a growing share of the population. He could no longer resist the pressures of France, who agreed to part with his Moroccan protectorate because of the disaster of the Indochina War and the beginning of the war in Algeria. After two successive exiles (Corsica then Madagascar), Mohammed Ben Youssef was allowed to return to Morocco (November 1955), and signed the back end of the despotic rule of Glaoui of Marrakesh and its region.

Source : Wikipedia.com