SHRUNKEN PALATE
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Palace of Arab-Andalusian inspiration, serving mainly as a cultural center and organizing temporary exhibitions
Raïssouni took possession of this Arabo-Andalusian-inspired palace in 1909. A historic monument, it is only open during the Asilah Festival. Temporary exhibitions are held here. This architectural jewel is worth a visit for its details, with old ceilings and zelliges. A little further on, a bastion leads down to the cemetery.
Raissouni left his mark on the history of the northern kingdom. He saw himself as a liberator of the country, fighting against a power he considered puppet and corrupted by the West.
Hostage-taking was his way of enriching his war chest while destabilizing the sultan.
His first target, the English Times correspondent Walter Harris, was quickly freed.
Raissouni then shifted up a gear. He needed money to consolidate his power.
On May 18, 1904, he captured the American Ion Perdicaris and demanded $70,000 for his release, a considerable sum for the time.
The affair made headlines around the world and provoked a reaction from President Theodore Roosevelt, who put pressure on Sultan Moulay Aziz to pay the ransom.
Thereafter, Raïssouni remained active in the region, participating more or less skilfully in the power struggles involving the sultan's supporters, the Spanish protectorate and Abdelkrim's supporters, who imprisoned him during the Rif war. He died at their hands in 1925. A controversial figure, Raissouni was portrayed by Sean Connery in 1975 ("The Lion and the Wind").
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