Sayyida al Hurra — Season 1

Aired 17 June 2015

This episode delves into the life of Sayyida al-Hurra, born Lalla Aisha bint Ali ibn Rashid al-Alami, who governed the city of Tétouan from 1515 or 1519 to 1542. Following the death of her first husband, Sidi al-Mandri II, she assumed the governorship of Tétouan, becoming the last woman in Islamic history to legitimately hold the title "al-Hurra," meaning "the free woman" or "lady sovereign." Renowned for her strategic acumen, she allied with the Ottoman corsair Hayreddin Barbarossa, asserting control over the western Mediterranean and challenging Spanish and Portuguese naval dominance. Her leadership extended beyond piracy; in 1541, she married Sultan Ahmad al-Wattasi, marking a unique event where a Moroccan king married away from the capital, underscoring her influence and autonomy.