Detail of map by Nicolas Sanson (1600-1667). Estats et royaumes de Fez et Maroc, Dahra et Segelmesse tirés de Sanuto, de Marmol.

Tagmadert (also Tagumadert, Tagmad(d)art, Tigumedet) is a city in the Draa River valley in Morocco. It is the place of origin of the members of the Saadi Dynasty. Despite the fact that Tagmadert is indicated on most older European maps, there is some uncertainty about its exact location. According to Charles de Foucauld its location was identical to present-day Fezouata, the district directly north of the Ktawa, including the village of Tamegroute.[1] There is a description of Tagmadert by the 17th century traveller Marmol.[2] The name seems to have referred to both a district and a town.

The town Tagmadert was founded in 1550 by Mohammed ash-Sheikh. It was probably destroyed during the reign of Moulay Slimane (1792–1822), possibly like Sijilmassa in 1818 by Aït Atta Berber tribes. The present village of Amezrou may have been built on its ruins. A sequia (irrigation canal) called Tagmadert still exists today in that place. Unfortunately there are no archeological records or Arabic or Berber language sources from which to deduce unequivocal conclusions about its location.

The Saadi were Shurafa of Tagmadert. The first Sultan of that dynasty Mohammed ash-Sheikh was called "al Drawi at-Tagmadert". Some of the members of the Saadi Dynasty have proudly inscribed Tagmadert as their place of birth on their tombstone.[3]

References

  1. ^ Charles de Foucauld, Reconnaissance au Maroc, Journal de route du voyage entrepris par Charles de Foucauld au Maroc en 1883-1884. 4 vols. Paris: Challamel, 1888., p.292 (available online at http://gallica.bnf.fr/VoyagesEnAfrique/ ) "Au district du Ternata succède, immédiatement au-dessous de lui, celui du Fezouata, appelé aussi Tagmadart."
  2. ^ 1573, Marmol Carvajal, soldier of Spanish origin and prisoner of the Sultan Mohammed ash-Sheikh, travelled through the Draa River valley and described Tagmadert: "It is a fertile country of wheat, barley and dates and of big and small cattle". The confusion comes from the fact that he had previously indicated that it is a "town of one thousand five hundred inhabitants, on the border of Lybie, at twenty leagues (1 league=5 km) from Quiteoa (Quiteoa refers probably to Bani Hayoun in the Qtawa)." The distance given in that description would place Tagmadert in northern Ternata or even Tinzoulin, not far from Zaouiet Amdagh/Tamdaht.
  3. ^ Saadian funerary stele (A.D.1580) (cf. the steles of the Saadian tombs in Marrakesh) with Arabic inscription: 'This is the tomb of (..) Fatima (..) the wife of Caid Abdallah of Tamdart'. Tamdart refers to Tagmadert of the Draa valley. Also inscribed on the stele are the Quranic verses 26 and 27 of Sura 55.[1]

See also

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