Episode 86 Primo de Rivera in Tetouan & The Asilah Peace Parade (October 1924)
Historical Accord (1924): High Commissioner General Silvela y Casado (Aspuru) seated alongside Dictator-General Primo de Rivera, Mawlay al-Khalid (son of Sharif Mawlay Ahmad al-Raisouni and candidate for regional governance), Pasha Mawlay al-Mustafa al-Raisouni, and prominent members of the Raisouni family.
Primo de Rivera in Tetouan & The Asilah Peace Parade (October 1924)
Introduction & Context
Following the resignation of Spanish High Commissioner Luis Silvela y Casado (Sburg/Aspuru), General Miguel Primo de Rivera personally arrived in Tetouan at the head of a military council to address the deepening crisis of the Spanish Protectorate. Confronted with mounting casualties in the Western Rif and Jbala mountains, Primo de Rivera sought to execute a strategic withdrawal toward fortified coastal bases while enforcing the peace agreement previously negotiated with Sharif Mawlay Ahmad al-Raisouni.
Episode 86 analyzes this crucial historical juncture: the political rapprochement between the Spanish High Commission and Mawlay Ahmad al-Raisouni, the symbolic and administrative appointment of Raisouni's son (Mawlay al-Khalid) as Governor-General, and the grand military parade held in Asilah on October 14, 1924—an event designed by Raisouni to demonstrate unyielding Mujahideen strength before the Spanish military establishment.
Historiography & Foreign Perspectives on Sharif al-Raisouni
The historical standing of Sharif Mawlay Ahmad al-Raisouni remains a subject of rich analysis among both Moroccan and foreign historians. As noted by historian Al-Hajj Ahmad al-Bouayachi (Harb al-Rif al-Tahririyya, Vol. 2, p. 210), Primo de Rivera immediately initiated diplomatic contact through intermediaries upon arriving in Tetouan.
Spanish chronicler Señor Quemado Soriano provided a striking assessment of Raisouni's resistance:
"Amidst the painful events unfolding in Northern Morocco, the figure of Sharif al-Raisouni stood as an invincible, formidable leader—a genius immune to monetary temptation and undeterred by our military arsenal. Residing in his mountain stronghold of Bani Aros, he challenged Spain with composure, his eyes reflecting nobility and Arab chivalry... When General Silvestre sought to subdue him through iron and fire, his campaign collapsed against Raisouni’s steadfast commitment to struggle and resistance."
Diplomatic Delegations & The Appointment of Mawlay al-Khalid
In accordance with the peace provisions, formal protocol visits were exchanged between the High Commission and Sharif al-Raisouni. Raisouni dispatched a high-level delegation to Tetouan consisting of three hundred dignitaries, tribal chiefs, and military commanders, led by three notable figures:
- Sharif Mawlay Ali al-Raisouni: Nephew of the supreme leader, Mawlay Ahmad.
- Commander Mawlay Ahmad walad Hamidou al-Kharraz: Brother of the martyred commander.
- Commander Ahmad Akhriro: Key military strategist and tribal commander.
During their week-long hosting at the High Commission in Tetouan, an official Dahir (Royal Decree) was publicly proclaimed, appointing Raisouni’s son, Sharif Mawlay al-Khalid, as General Governor over the Western tribal territories previously under his father’s sphere of influence.
Visual Culture & Military Attire of the Jbala Mujahideen
The historical source offers an extraordinarily detailed ethnographic description of the specialized war attire and equipment worn by the 10,000 mountain fighters mobilized for the parade in Asilah:
- Outer Garments (Djellaba): Handwoven Moroccan wool djellabas—either solid black or short white wool varieties with silk embroidery—designed specifically for mountain mobility and rain protection.
- The Black Ghraiba: Long black wool overcoats, woven with precise craftsmanship in Chefchaouen, so dark they were likened to the blackness of a raven.
- Footwear (Tasliyya): Specialty mountain leather footwear with reinforced single-piece heels, worn during long marches and mountain expeditions.
- Armaments & Ammunition: Every fighter carried a rifle captured from enemy forces during previous engagements. Across their chest and left shoulder, they wore leather or silk bandoliers carrying 290 rounds of ammunition, designed for rapid reload under fire.
- Rations Bag (Baqrab): Woven straw bags worn on the side to carry dry provisions during extended marches.
The October 14, 1924 Asilah Military Review
At 10:00 AM on October 14, 1924, near the coastal town of Asilah (along the main road toward Larache at a site known as Al-Esh), over 10,000 fully equipped tribal Mujahideen assembled in rigid formation. Organized into squadrons of fifty fighters, each led by a veteran tactical officer, they performed precision maneuvers before General Primo de Rivera, former High Commissioner Silvela y Casado, and the Spanish War Council.
As the squadrons marched past the High Commissioner, they chanted their traditional battle slogans and prayers in unison, accompanied by rifle volleys into the air:
"O Allah, send blessings upon You, O Messenger of Allah! May Allah grant victory to the Prophet! A great victory! The shield of the righteous, and a fire upon the disbelievers! May Allah grant victory to the banner of the Prophet!"
The solemnity, discipline, and sheer volume of the chanting created a profound psychological impact on the attending Spanish military command. Spanish commanders were visibly astonished by the degree of organization, high morale, and martial preparation displayed by the Jbala tribes.
Political Aftermath & Reorganisation
Following the parade in Asilah, General Primo de Rivera returned to Madrid. Recognizing the formidable reality of the native forces and the strategic necessity of maintaining stability in the Western zone, the Spanish government issued an official decree on October 16, 1924. Primo de Rivera assumed full personal control as High Commissioner in Tetouan while maintaining his rank as Captain General, initiating a new phase of Spanish colonial policy in Morocco.
Conclusion: The Legacy of Episode 86
The events of October 1924 stand as a testament to the tactical diplomacy and enduring prestige of Sharif Mawlay Ahmad al-Raisouni. By transforming what Spain envisioned as a routine military inspection into a sweeping display of tribal cohesion and military discipline, Raisouni redefined the power dynamic in the Western Protectorate. The Asilah parade did not merely mark the formal appointment of his son, Mawlay al-Khalid, as General Governor; it forced the Spanish High Commission—and General Primo de Rivera himself—to recognize that peace in Northern Morocco could not be dictated by force alone, but had to be negotiated through the deeply rooted authority of the Jbala leadership.
Stay tuned for Episode 87: Coming up next—the strategic ramifications of the 1924 pact and the final consolidation of power in the Western Zone
See also the previous episodes linked below
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