Essaouira

Related Category: Morocco Political Geography

(ĕsəwēr´ə), city, W Morocco, on the Atlantic Ocean. It was founded in 1760 by Sultan Muhammad ibn-Abdullah. In 1844 the French bombarded the city to force Morocco to stop supporting Abd al-Kadir, leader of an Algerian resistance movement. The city declined when Agadir was opened to foreign trade in the 20th cent. Essaouira was formerly called Mogador.