posted 12-30-2006 04:29 PM         

I am trying to find some information on a castle in Morocco that my source spells as 'Tasqimut Castle' near Marrakesh. A Google search comes up with nothing.

Does anyone know what this castle might be called now?.
Any other information on Moroccan castles, web links etc very greatly appreciated.

I am researching the Islamic history of Spain and the associated castles. This area of Morocco was the homeland of certain Berber groups who became dominant in Iberia for a while (the Almorovids and the Almohads). I am looking into their fortresses back in Morocco.

Thanks in advance.

posted 01-02-2007 07:51 AM            

I am having a look, but it is not easy to find something good about Morocco. I am finding a lot about hotels and that sort of nonsense, but no good castle site yet ;(

posted 01-10-2007 04:59 AM            

Have you already found something? I'm also very interested in Spanish castles and wondered about castles in Northern Africa for the same reason. I couldn't find anything also, so I highly doubt if there are any real castles there. Perhaps there was no need for them because they didn't have enemies there?

I did find out that there are several structures with the name Ksar (which translates to castle) but those were more like fortified villages instead of castles. In an article on this word on Wikipedia however there is a picture of a Ksar in Algeria which looks like a castle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ksar

posted 01-10-2007 03:30 PM         

If you consider that both of the Berber dynasties from Morocco (the Almorovids and the Almohads) were amongst the greatest castle builders in Spain and, while they were doing this they were frequently returning to Morocco to deal with invasions, uprisings and trouble generally back home, it is hard to imagine that they didn't employ the same responses.

Let me quote from the excellent book I have been reading lately (Muslim Spain and Portugal, a Political History of al-Andalus by Hugh Kennedy - Longman 1996)
"From 1125 they (the Almoravids) adopted a largely defensive strategy, building a series of fortresses, like the one at Tasgimut whose impressive remains still exist, south of Marrakesh along the edge of the plains on which the capital stood."

More research needed guys!.

Best

posted 01-11-2007 05:59 PM         

My main interest in the castles of Morocco is to try and find some influences that lead to the 'Torre Albarrana' or detached towers of Spain and Portugal.

These detached towers are believed to have originated in the Almohad period (ie 12th century) in Iberia and are a distinctive feature of many castles of southern Spain and Portugal.

Link here to some photo examples: http://www.castlesontheweb.com/photoarchive/index.php?action=album&id=1391&sessionid=d04e4973e0ed4662251440f843cd678a

I am trying to find any influences from elsewhere that may have promoted the introduction of these detached towers in Sapin. An obvious possibility is the Almohad Berber homeland in Morocco and North Africa.

Comments most welcome.