(4) Эс-Сувейра, ранее именовавшийся Могадор - это, одновременно, и непреступная крепость средневековых пиратов, ростовщиков и работорговцев, и самый романтичный город Африки, обладающий очаровывающей и вызывающей красотой. Он привлекает своими узкими улочками (большинство не шире двух метров), домами, выполненнми в мавританском стиле, и бывшими синагогами.
Archeological research has shown that Essaouira was occupied since prehistorical times. The bay in front of Essaouira is almost closed by the large island of Mogador, making it a relatively peaceful harbour protected against the strong winds of the area.
Essaouira has long been considered as one of the best anchorages of the Moroccan coast. During the 5th century BCE, she was visited by the Carthaginian navigator Hannon, who established a trading post there. Around the end of the 1st century BCE, Juba II established a Tyrian purple factory, processing the murex and purpura shells found in the rocks around Essaouira.
During the Middle Ages, a muslim saint named Sidi Mogdoul was buried in Essaouira and gave his name to the locality, which was later transcribed as "Mogador" by the Portuguese. In 1506, the king of Portugal ordered a fortress to be built there, named "Castelo Real de Mogador". The fortress fell to the local resistance of the Regraga fraternity four years later.
During the 16th century, various powers including Spain, England, the Netherlands and France tried to conquer the locality, in vain. Essaouira remained a small haven for the export of sugar molasses and the anchoring of pirates.
The actual city of Essaouira was only built during the 18th century. Mohammed ben Abdallah, sultan since 1757, wishing to reorient his kingdom towards the Atlantic for increased exchanges with European powers, chose Mogador as his key location. He hired a French engineer, Théodore Cornut, and several other European architects and technicians, to build the fortress along modern lines. Originally called "Souira", "The small fortress", the name then became "Es-Saouira", "The beautifully designed".
Mohammed ben Abdallah encouraged the establishement of Jewish as well as foreign traders. They were around one thousand by 1780. He also forced European nations to establish consulates in the city, but the city did not really flourish, as she was too far away from the traditional caravan trade routes.
Юлиан Рибиник 26.11.2005 22:48
