The exact meaning of the name is discussed. [7] A possible origin of the name Marrakech comes from the Berber words (Amazigh) amur (n) akush (ⴰⵎⵓⵔ ⵏ ⴰⴽⵓⵛ), which means “land of God”.” [5] However, according to historian Susan Searight, the name of the town was first documented in an 11th century manuscript at the Qarawiyyin Library in Fez, where its meaning was referred to as “land of the sons of Kusch.” [8] The word wall [9] is now used in Berber most often in the female form tamurt. The same word “wall” appears in Mauritania, the kingdom of North Africa of antiquity, although the link remains controversial, as this name is perhaps the ancient Greek word for black. [7] The English spelling is “Marrakech”, [10] although “Marrakech” (French spelling) is also widespread. [5] The name is written in Berber-Latin alphabet, marraquexe in Portuguese and Marrakech in Spanish. [12] A typical pronunciation in Moroccan Arabic is Marrékesh, with the emphasis on the second syllable, while vowels can hardly be pronounced in the other syllables. The death of Yusuf II in 1224 began a period of instability. Marrakech became the stronghold of the sheikhs of Almohad and the ahl ad-dar (descendants of Ibn Tumart), who tried to regain power from the ruling Almohad family. Marrakech was taken, Several times lost and taken over by force by a torrent of caliphs and meadows, as during the brutal seizure of Marrakech by the Sevillian caliph Abd al-Wahid II al-Ma`mun in 1226, followed by a massacre of the chees of Almohad and their families and a public denunciation of the teachings of Ibn Tumart by the kalife of the Kashba. [32] After al-Ma`mun`s death in 1232, his widow attempted to forcibly install her son by receiving the support of Almohad`s army chiefs and Spanish mercenaries with the promise of handing them Marrakech over for the sack. When the people of Marrakech heard about the conditions, she tried to reach an agreement with the military captains and saved the city from destruction with a considerable payment of 500,000 dinars.
[32] In 1269, Marrakech was conquered by nomadic tribes of Zenata who invaded the last almohads. [33] The city experienced a decline that quickly led to the loss of its capital status to the rival city of Fez. Over the past ten years, the city`s health facilities have been heavily overwhelmed by the dramatic increase in the city`s population. [195] Ibn Tofail University Hospital is one of the most important hospitals in the city. [196] In February 2001, the Moroccan government signed an $8 million loan agreement with the OPEC International Development Fund to improve medical care in and around Marrakech, resulting in the expansion of the Ibn Tofail and Ibn Nafess hospitals. Seven new buildings with a total area of 43,000 square metres have been built. New radiotherapy and medical equipment were provided and 29,000 square metres of the existing hospital area were rehabilitated. [195] According to the 2014 census, Marrakech had 928,850 inhabitants, up from 843,575 in 2004. The number of households was 217,245 in 2014, up from 173,603 in 2004. [65] [66] Majorelle Garden, on Yacoub el Mansour Avenue, was once the home of landscape painter Jacques Majorelle. The famous designer Yves Saint Laurent bought and restored the property, which has a stele engraved in his memory[112] and the Museum of Islamic Art, which is located in a dark blue building. [113] The garden, open to the public since 1947, has a large collection of plants from five continents, including cacti, palm trees and bamboo.
[114] At the beginning of the 16th century, Marrakech became the capital of the kingdom again, after a time when it was the seat of the Emire Hintata.