Mohammed V of Morocco

Muhammad V (Muhammad al-Khamis bin Yusef bin Hassan al-Alawi; 10 August 1909 – 26 February 1961) was the ruler of Morocco from 1927 to 1961, except for a two-year period in exile during the 1950s. He reigned as sultan until 1957, and afterwards as the first king of Morocco. A member of the Alawi dynasty, he played an instrumental role in restoring the independence of Morocco from the French and Spanish protectorates.

Muhammad was enthroned as sultan upon the death of his father Yusef bin Hassan in 1927. Early in his reign, his approval of the Berber Dahir drew widespread backlash and spurred an upsurge of Moroccan nationalism and opposition to continued French rule. Initially more amenable to colonial authorities, Muhammad grew increasingly supportive of the nationalist movement later on. During World War II he supported the Allies, participated in the 1943 Anfa Conference and has been widely credited with protecting Morocco’s Jewish population during World War II, as he reportedly resisted Vichy efforts to impose anti-Jewish measures and deport Jews, and emphasized that all Moroccan Jews were under his protection as subjects of the crown.

Muhammad became a central figure of the independence cause after the war. In 1947, he delivered a historic speech in Tangier, in which he made an open appeal for Moroccan independence and emphasized the country's ties with the rest of the Arab world. His relationship with the French became increasingly strained afterwards as colonial rule grew more repressive. In 1953, French authorities deposed Muhammad, exiled him to Corsica (later transferring him to Madagascar) and installed his first cousin once removed Muhammad Ben Aarafa as sultan. The deposition sparked active opposition to the French protectorate and two years later, faced with rising violence in Morocco, the French government allowed Muhammad's return. In 1956, he successfully negotiated with France and Spain for Moroccan independence, and in the following year he assumed the title of king. Muhammad died in 1961 at the age of 51 and was succeeded by his eldest son, who took the throne as Hassan II.

Muhammad is often described by historians as a moderate and unifying figure whose leadership style was marked by restraint and a generally gentle and conciliatory approach, contributing to his reputation as a widely respected and principled monarch.