History section

From before the 11th century the Sahara comprised a dominant and essential part of the Kingdom of Morocco, with close tribal and trading ties existing between this region and those living and trading throughout the northern and eastern swathes of the Merinide and Alomahade Kingdoms.  In fact, the Saharan region remained entirely under the spiritual and temporal jurisdiction of the Moroccan Sultans until European colonisation during the twentieth century, whereas other modern African countries, such as Algeria, Tunisia and Libya were incorporated into and formed part of the Ottoman Empire.