A small, traditional house in a Moroccan village

In the 11th century, Taroudannt was the capital of a small Shi’ite kingdom (the Kingdom of the Bajjalis) 2 that was, in theory, subject to the Fatimid caliphs. Annexed by the Almoravids in 1056 and practically independent under the Almohads, it was notably the capital of the rebel prince Ben Yedder, who ruled the Souss region from 1252 to 1334³.

The city was destroyed by the Merinids in 1306 but was immediately rebuilt and reached its peak in the sixteenth century under the influence of Mohammed ech-Cheikh Sâadi, founder of the Saadian dynasty, who made it the first Saadiancapital ahead of Marrakech and a base for his offensive against the Portuguese who had established themselves in Agadir (then called Santa Cruz de Cap de Gué). It then became an important caravan centre, famous for the abundance and quality of its goods: sugar, cotton, rice, etc.