The Palanquin Thrones of the ʿAlawite Sultans of Morocco

Abstract

The ceremonies of the ʿAlawite dynasty were often held out of doors, with the monarch appearing on horseback and under a parasol, escorted by a master of ceremonies holding a large baton; a row of saddled horses led by grooms; lancers; ensign bearers; musicians; a horse bearing a copy of the Qurʾan or volumes of the Hadith; and attendants who performed the ritual waving of white cloths. When the sultan conducted annual expeditions to subdue rebellious tribes and extract taxes, he was accompanied by a red-curtained palanquin slung between two mules, a practical necessity in case the monarch was indisposed. Most of these traditions continued the practices of earlier dynasties. However, for the later ʿAlawite period, more detailed descriptions are available, and these indicate that the palanquin also served as a throne. The sultan sat enthroned in the palanquin, which was placed in the royal audience tent facing a parade ground. In a similar fashion, European carriages served as portable thrones for receptions within royal palaces. This essay examines the history and iconography of the Moroccan palanquin throne, along with some associated rituals and insignia. While palanquins have been abandoned by the ruling dynasty and superseded by motor vehicles, a similar iconography survives in religious processions carrying another type of draped box, the cover of a cenotaph from a saint’s tomb.