The Principality of Debdou was an autonomous hereditary viceroyalty that existed in eastern Morocco from 1430 to 1563, with its capital at Debdou. It was governed by the Ouartajin, a dynasty of Berber descent, related to the Marinids and Wattasids.Mohammed Nehlil, Notice sur les tribus de la région de Debdou, 1911, p.42-43 Louis Massignon, Le Maroc dans les premières années du XVIe siècle : Tableau géographique d'après Léon L'Africain, in: Mémoires de la Société Historique Algérienne I, Éd. Adolphe Jourdan, 1906, p.266
History The Principality of Debdou was first established in 1430 as a governorate of Morocco, then ruled by the Marinids. Debdou served as a march of the Marinid Sultanate against the Abd al-Wadid Kingdom of Tlemcen.
By the second half of the 15th century, the Ouartajin gained more autonomy towards Fez, as the Marinids lost their prestige and most of their power to the Wattasid Viziers. The Principality became fully autonomous when Muhammad ibn Ahmed was appointed Viceroy of Debdou by the Wattasid Sultan Muhammad ibn Yahya (r. 1472–1504).
During the last years of the reign of Muhammad II, the Principality of Debdou became a tributary state of the Saadians. Moulay Ammar assisted the Ottomans in the Capture of Fez in 1554 and later defected to the Saadians in the Battle of Wadi al-Laban in 1558 against the Turks of Hasan Pasha. In 1563, the Saadi Sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib overthrew the Ouartajin and made Debdou a fully dependent Pashalik of Morocco, serving to defend against the Ottoman Empire. List of Emirs ReignEmirNotes1430–1460Musa ibn HammuAppointed governor of Debdou.1460–1485Ahmad ibn Musa1485–1515Muhammad ibn Ahmad Appointed Viceroy of Debdou after being besieged by Muhammad ibn Yahya.1515–1550Muhammad IIBecame tributary of the Saadi Sultanate.1550–1563Ammar Annexation of the Principality following his death by Abdallah al-Ghalib.
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