Muhammad al-Muqri

Haj Muhammad Ben Abdessalam al-Muqri (Arabic: الحاج محمد بن عبد السلام المقري, February 2, 1854[1] – September 9, 1957), alternatively transcribed as Mohammed El Mokri, was a senior Moroccan official of the late 19th and early 20th century.

At that time, Al Muqri was the country's representative to the 1906 Algeciras Conference at which Germany's demand for a say in Moroccan affairs was rejected in favor of France and Spain.

In recognition of his efforts to resolve the Moroccan Crisis leading up to the international conference, Abd al-Aziz appointed al-Muqri as his Minister of Finance and in 1908, his Sadr A'atham  [ar] (صدر أعظم) or Grand Vizier, a post he would hold on and off under each of the succeeding sultans until 1955.

Once independence was promised, Ben Arafa abdicated, and al-Muqri was chosen by colonial authorities to head the Regency, among other dignitaries such as Pacha Fatmi Benslimane, until the exiled Sultan Muhammad could return to the country and assume the throne.

Muhammad al-Muqri married three women (one Algerian and two Moroccan) with whom he had five sons and a daughter, all born during 1890–1900:[4] It is claimed that al-Moqri died at the reputed age of 112, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, or even of 116, according to other sources.

al-Muqri signing the Treaty of Algeciras in 1906.
Muhammad al-Muqri, Charles Émile Moinier, Sultan Abd al-Hafid of Morocco , and Abdelqader Benghabrit , 8 August 1912.