Mohammed V (1911-1961), also known as Mohammed Ben Youssef, was the first king of independent Morocco. He succeeded in conciliating divided forces of Moroccan nationalism and helped to forge national unity around the throne.

Nothing at the birth of Mohammed, in Fez, predestined that he would rule over Morocco. He was only the third son of Moulay Youssef, the brother of the ruling sultan, Moulay Hafid. But in 1912, when the French occupied Morocco, Moulay Youssef replaced his brother as sultan. Mohammed Ben Youssef grew up in the royal palaces of Fez and Meknes, where an Algerian teacher tutored him. He received a traditional education based on the Koran plus some elements of modern culture, but he never formally studied French.

The Sultan

On Nov. 18, 1927, at the age of 16 Mohammed was chosen by the college of ulemas (religious scholars) to succeed his father. This choice was influenced by the...