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.