The treaty for the organisation of the French protectorate in the Sharifian Empire was concluded at Fez on 30 March 1912 by Sultan Moulay Abd al-Hafid and Eugène Regnault, French minister plenipotentiary. An instrument under seal; French ratification by decree of 20 July 1912, published in the Journal officiel on 27 July, then in the protectorate Bulletin officiel on 1 November. It is not the Franco-Spanish agreement of 27 November 1912, a distinct instrument.

Article 1: a new regime of administrative, judicial, educational, economic, financial and military reforms that the French Government judges useful; it is to safeguard the Sultan’s religious standing, Islam and the habous, and to organise a reformed makhzen. France will concert with Spain on that government’s coastal interests; Tangier keeps the special character already recognised. Article 2: the Sultan admits, after notice to the makhzen, such military occupations as France judges necessary for order; that clause is not transcribed as an occupation handbook.

Article 3: French support for the Sultan’s person, throne and the quiet of his States, and for the heir. Article 4: protectorate measures are enacted, on a French proposal, by the Sultan or authorities to whom he delegates power. Article 5: a Resident Commissioner-General, depositary of the Republic’s powers, sole intermediary of the Sultan with foreign representatives, with power to approve and promulgate decrees. Article 6: French diplomatic and consular agents represent Moroccan subjects abroad; no international act without prior French assent.

Articles 7–8: a financial reorganisation, respecting the rights of holders of Moroccan public loans; the Sultan may not contract loans or grant concessions without French authorisation. Article 9: only French ratification, the instrument to be delivered to the Sultan. Independence recognised by the joint declaration of 2 March 1956 ended this regime.

News of the treaty spread in Fez in April; unrest followed. Lyautey moved the administrative capital to Rabat. Operations are not described here.

Cover: the royal palace in Fez, the place of the talks; no particular inner room is claimed. Wikimedia Commons, free licence.

Sources consulted: Treaty of Fes; Traité pour l'organisation du protectorat français dans l'empire chérifien (Digithèque MJP).