AHC: Moroccan discovery of America

[samcraft3]

What if Morocco discovered America before the Spanish? Let's keep this discussion realistic, with real reasons to make Morocco sail west (hostile islamic powers, bad trade relations etc.) and the consequences on the world and islam. Would Morocco convert the locals to islam, or would it use them as slaves? Would they bring massive boats full of slaves to work there, or would they bring some colonizers to establish peaceful colonies there? What would the new world be named? Will Morocco become more powerful after discovering this huge unislamised continent? I will let your imagination decide.
POD: 1200

 

[Fatt Shea]

New world can be named after an early navigator there perhaps the discoverer or the explorer can name it after the king like how Phillipines was named after king Phillip, today the most common name there is Mohmmed as well that was the caliphs name in 1200.

 

[samcraft3]

New world can be named after an early navigator there perhaps the discoverer or the explorer can name it after the king like how Phillipines was named after king Phillip, today the most common name there is Mohmmed as well that was the caliphs name in 1200.

I don't think so, the arabs named Iberia as "Al-Andalus" as a reference to the vandals. Maybe they would see the native americans and try to name them. Since the Moroccans knew better how real indians looked, they may know that these are NOT indians, but having no name to use they would call these lands "aradi algharb" (the lands of the west), like they called north africa "al-maghrib" (the west/where the sun sets). And remember that the Moroccans at the time spoke berber (and not the mix of berber and arabic that we know today), so we could see a berber name to the new world. Or maybe they wouldn't just try to think of a cool name and directly name it "al'Alam aljadid" (the new world).
Also, Mohammad was not a common name at the time, the moroccans caliph were named "yusuf", "tashfin", "abdallah", "abdalhaqq", "idriss" or had other unusual names.

 

[Richard V]

I don't think so, the arabs named Iberia as "Al-Andalus" as a reference to the vandals. Maybe they would see the native americans and try to name them. Since the Moroccans knew better how real indians looked, they may know that these are NOT indians, but having no name to use they would call these lands "aradi algharb" (the lands of the west), like they called north africa "al-maghrib" (the west/where the sun sets). And remember that the Moroccans at the time spoke berber (and not the mix of berber and arabic that we know today), so we could see a berber name to the new world. Or maybe they wouldn't just try to think of a cool name and directly name it "al'Alam aljadid" (the new world).
Also, Mohammad was not a common name at the time, the moroccans caliph were named "yusuf", "tashfin", "abdallah", "abdalhaqq", "idriss" or had other unusual names.

Bit of a digression but Columbus also knew what people from the subcontinent looked like. He named the natives Indians because he thought he was in the Indies. Same climate, people looked the same, same lack of clothes.

 

[samcraft3]

Bit of a digression but Columbus also knew what people from the subcontinent looked like. He named the natives Indians because he thought he was in the Indies. Same climate, people looked the same, same lack of clothes.

Yeah the beaches looked pretty much the same, but the people didn't; the skin color, the clothings, the eyes... everything was different. If I'm looking for ghosts and something strange happens, I will surely say that these were ghosts. Pretty much the same with colombus here; he was looking for India, found some guys speaking another language and relatively the same beaches and said "ah. indians.", i'm not digressing him, just saying that the average moroccan sailor/merchant knew more from India than the guys in the crew with colombus did.

 

[Richard V]

Yeah the beaches looked pretty much the same, but the people didn't; the skin color, the clothings, the eyes... everything was different. If I'm looking for ghosts and something strange happens, I will surely say that these were ghosts. Pretty much the same with colombus here; he was looking for India, found some guys speaking another language and relatively the same beaches and said "ah. indians.", i'm not digressing him, just saying that the average moroccan sailor/merchant knew more from India than the guys in the crew with colombus did.

Caribbean Indians and Indonesians don’t look that different. Certainly more different from people of the subcontinent. For an Italian who had never personally seen any and know their description at best 3rd hand, it was close enough. Besides even the most cursory examination of period maps reveal the Indies are to the east of India. Columbus couldn’t possibly think he had bypassed the Spice Islands and navigated directly to India.

 

[Nivek]

. Would Morocco convert the locals to islam, or would it use them as slaves? Would

Both, they would spread the faith and trade the 'muslim starter pack'(ie praying mats, clothes, books,etc) for anything they consider of value and exotic and when some natives realize how being Muslim allow them enter the profitable trade that include slavery, they would hold conquered people as slaves to use or sell. Before diseases start to ravage them.

Would they bring massive boats full of slaves to work there, or would they bring some colonizers to establish peaceful colonies there?

Both, Once natives start to die in masse, we could see some adventurer coming to conquer/colonize, or some convince them to grow exotic goods to exchange overseas, we could see the Caribbean integrated into the trans-Atlantic slave trade far earlier than OTL with natives being full-fledge Muslim Slaveholders.

What would the new world be named?

Could be a romantic name based on the first impression or something like the Far West, or the Eden of the Far West

 

[samcraft3]

I just discovered this article which suggests that Al-Biruni, a medieval muslim scholar, suggested that a landmass may exist between Europe and Asia. With this, and a more powerful Byzantine Empire that could have maintained hostile relations with the almoravids, and a more divided muslim world in the near-east (conflicts between shias, byzantines and sunnis) would make the almoravids suffer in term of trade. The almoravids at the height of their power and being in a scientific golden age may take this theory seriously and launch an expedition to the new world.

 

[Nivek]

I just discovered this article which suggests that Al-Biruni, a medieval muslim scholar, suggested that a landmass may exist between Europe and Asia. With this, and a more powerful Byzantine Empire that could have maintained hostile relations with the almoravids, and a more divided muslim world in the near-east (conflicts between shias, byzantines and sunnis) would make the almoravids suffer in term of trade. The almoravids at the height of their power and being in a scientific golden age may take this theory seriously and launch an expedition to the new world.

What the ERE have to do with this? Since the caliphate of Cordoba, both Morroco and Andalus were a different sphere the Abbasid, if anything feel another disguise roman wank

 

[Hannibal The Bannable]

In 1200 , Morocco was under the Almohads who also controlled Southern Spain . I think a significant portion of the settlers and colonists would be Andalusi Moriscos especially if reconquista continued as did in OTL

 

[Tabs]

I’d say, just keep the Almohads of Almoravids around in Spain. Not sure how to do it whatsoever but, they’re the only way I can see a Moroccan dynasty in position to discover the Americas.