Britain's relationship with Morocco in the middle of the nineteenth century can best be described as both tense and complex. After imposing a treaty with the Sultan by force, interfering with Morocco's 1859 war with Spain, ensuring lack of equity in trade, and foiling attempts at development and reform could have made the two countries, in essence, enemies. Yet although there were conflicts, the two countries continued diplomatic relations is some form during the period. Ben-Srhir (history, Hassan II U.) makes the ambassadorship of Hay the spine of his analysis, detailing the concerted effort by European nations to undermine Morocco's authority and sovereignty. He describes the historical development of Anglo-Moroccan relations, those relations' legal framework, Britain's relations with Spain as the latter expressed its ambitions in northern Morocco, commercial transactions, British policy on consular protection for Moroccan Jews, attempts at reform by the government, and resistance by the Moroccan government that eventually led to the waning of British influence. --Reference & Research Book News
Khalid Ben-Srhir has written an exhaustive and well-researched account of the commercial and diplomatic hsitory of Anglo-Moroccan relations in this window of the nineteenth century. His promise at the end of this book to produce another study of the following year in Morocco is certain to bear impressive fruit...Ben-Srhir successfully connects personality and policy in his research, making this monograph an enlightening and accessible one for scholars in the fields of European imperial and Middle East/North African history.--Itinerario, 30:2 (2006)
'Extensive archival work ... has enabled Ben-Srhir to present the most detailed, balanced account of bilateral relations between the two countries ever written.' - International Journal of Middle East Studies
'Extensive archival work ... has enabled Ben-Srhir to present the most detailed, balanced account of bilateral relations between the two countries ever written.' - International Journal of Middle East Studies
'Ben-Srhir successfully connects personality and policy in his research, making this monograph an enlightening and accessible one for scholars in the fields of European imperial and Middle East/North African history.' - Itinerario
