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Death and funeral of Hassan II of Morocco

Hassan II, King of Morocco since 1961, died on 23 July 1999 in the capital of Rabat, at the age of 70. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Crown Prince Sidi Mohammed, who acceded to the throne as King Mohammed VI. Hassan's remains were interred at the Mausoleum of Mohammed V in Rabat on 25 July, following an Islamic funeral ceremony.

Death and funeral of Hassan II of Morocco
Hassan II in 1982
Date23 July 1999; 25 years ago (1999-07-23) at 16:30 (UTC)
(death)
25 July 1999
(funeral and burial)
LocationRabat, Morocco

The Moroccan government officially declared a period of mourning following Hassan's death. Condolences were presented by the new king and officials from multiple countries, as well as the United Nations.

Background

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Hassan acceded to the throne of Morocco following his father's death on 26 February 1961.

During a visit to New York in 1995, he was hospitalized due to pneumonia, at which point he was advised by his doctors to quit smoking.[1][2] Hassan reportedly preferred to avoid being treated outside his home country, in contrast to King Hussein of Jordan, who spent several of his final weeks at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota.[3]

Hassan turned 70 on 9 July 1999. His last foreign visit five days later was to Paris, where he attended the annual Bastille Day military parade as a guest of French president Jacques Chirac. On 21 July, two days before his death, he hosted Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh for an official reception dinner in Rabat.[1][4]

Death

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Hassan's health began to decline progressively in the early hours of 23 July. After being admitted to the Royal Palace clinic at 08:00 (UTC), he was placed under observation and responded normally to treatment. At around noon, he fell into a comatose state due to a myocardial infarction and was transferred to the CHU Ibn Sina [fr] hospital, which later released an official statement indicating that the king was "suffering from acute pneumopathy".[4][5][6] By this time, his two sons, Crown Prince Sidi Mohammed and Prince Moulay Rachid, were at his bedside, with his nephew Prince Moulay Hicham en route from Paris, while Moroccan state television began broadcasting recitals of the Quran.[3] At 14:15, Sidi Mohammed called Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi to inform him of his father's declining health.[3]

Hassan was pronounced dead at 16:30.[7] It was publicly announced at 20:40, in a televised speech by Mohammed. An official ascension ceremony took place in the evening, with him taking the title of King Mohammed VI, and Moulay Rachid becoming crown prince. Princes Moulay Hicham and Moulay Ismail also attended, along with members of the government and royal cabinet who swore an oath of allegiance (bay'ah) to the new monarch.[7][8]

Reactions

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His Majesty has passed away this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. of a cardiac arrest as a result of complications that could not be treated. [...] On this painful occasion, I express my deep condolences to the faithful people of Morocco, which has always shown its love, faith and loyalty to this courageous king.[1]

King Mohammed VI

Following the announcement of the king's death, hundreds of mourners visited the Royal Palace in Rabat, and a television anchor on state broadcaster RTM openly cried.[9] A 40-day period of national mourning was declared, with flags due to be flown at half-mast at public and semi-public institutions, as well as Moroccan diplomatic missions abroad.[9][10][8] Libération reported that the stock market and public services reopened on 25 July, in spite of the mourning period.[11]

The Polisario Front, which fought a war with Morocco from 1975 to 1991, said Hassan "would be remembered for ruling the disputed territory with ruthless oppression".[12] Polisario leader Mohamed Abdelaziz, in a telegram to King Mohammed VI, said Hassan's death was "tragic news which has deeply afflicted us".[13]

International

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Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika described Hassan's death as "a source of great sadness for me personally and for the majority of Algerians who are proud of the joint heritage between Algeria and Morocco".[14] He was referred to by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak as "a brother, friend and comrade-in-arms", and by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir as "a symbol of moderateness whose support was sought by all" and who had been "a brother and a friend and a messenger of peace among nations".[14] Official mourning was declared in several Arab states.[14][15][16][10] Iran, whose relations with Morocco were strained following the 1979 revolution, released a statement saying there was "no doubt that King Hassan played a remarkable role in managing the affairs of Morocco, not to mention his role in north-west Africa in terms of creating a stable climate".[17]

Israeli president Ezer Weizman referred to Hassan as a "true partner" in the Israeli–Palestinian peace process,[18] while former prime minister Shimon Peres said that Hassan "contributed a great deal" to the peace process.[9] Moroccan Jews in Israel observed seven days of mourning for the late king.[18] Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat paid homage to his "stances in defence of the Palestinian people and their right to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital".[14] Following the announcement of Hassan's death, Arafat suspended a meeting of Palestinian leadership in Gaza.[14] The Palestinian leadership declared three days of official mourning.[9]

President Jacques Chirac of France, who at the time was in Nigeria for a state visit, expressed his "immense pain", referring to Hassan as "a man who loved our country and who loved the French". A planned dinner for Chirac hosted by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo was cancelled following the king's death. Prime Minister Lionel Jospin remarked that "throughout his reign, marked by a unique relationship of friendship and trust between Morocco and France, the King has embodied the fundamental values of his country, in its traditions as well as in its openness to the world".[19]

US President Bill Clinton released an official statement saying that the "prayers of all Americans go out to the royal family and the people of Morocco".[20] In a later interview, he remarked that Hassan had "worked very hard to reconcile the differences among the Moroccan people, within Morocco, and therefore, to set an example of the kind of thing that all of us should be doing".[21] Russian President Boris Yeltsin, in a telegram of condolences, referred to Hassan as "a wise leader who had worked tirelessly for peace".[12] Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, said that Hassan would be remembered for "dedication and fortitude", while Queen Elizabeth II privately conveyed her condolences to King Mohammed VI.[12][22]

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan remarked, "By serving as a bridge of peace between different nations and cultures, King Hassan made Morocco itself a bridge of understanding and cooperation between Europe and Africa, North and South, East and West."[9] During a plenary meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on 28 July, President Didier Opertti and representatives of the United Nations Regional Groups paid tribute, and a minute of silence was observed.[23]

Funeral

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Islamic custom dictates that a burial should take place as soon as possible after death, usually within 24 hours.[24] The Moroccan cabinet, headed by Abderrahmane Youssoufi, held an extraordinary meeting on 24 July to discuss the implementation of the funeral proceedings,[8][25] which were subsequently delayed by a day to allow time for foreign dignitaries to travel to Rabat.[26]

The funeral began at approximately 15:00 (UTC) on 25 July, when Hassan's coffin, draped in a cloth depicting the Shahada in golden writing, was placed on a gun carriage after being carried outside the royal palace, and the national anthem was sung. His relatives, including King Mohammed VI and Crown Prince Moulay Rachid, followed the procession alongside army officials and foreign dignitaries.[26][27][28][29] Hundreds of thousands of mourners lined the route of the procession, many of them praying, crying, or holding pictures of the late king. Some isolated cases of fainting were reported.[26][30]

Following the arrival of the coffin at the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, senior members of the Moroccan royal family led a congregation at the nearby Hassan Mosque. The congregation performed the Asr prayer, followed by the salat al-janazah (funeral prayer), before Hassan's remains were buried within the mausoleum.[26][28]

Representatives from over 45 countries visited Rabat for the funeral proceedings, including 36 heads of state and government. They marched in front of Hassan's coffin during its procession, although the funeral service itself was open only to Muslim foreign representatives.[25][29] Hafez al-Assad, President of Syria, was initially expected to attend the funeral, but for unknown reasons cancelled his attendance immediately beforehand.[31][32]

List of foreign dignitaries

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Royalty

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Delegations

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Heads of state and government

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Other governmental representatives

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International organisations

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Moroccan prince announces king's death". United Press International. 23 July 1999. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Grief engulfs Morocco". BBC News. 24 July 1999. Archived from the original on 3 December 2002. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Maroc : mort de Hassan II, la nuit du destin". Jeune Afrique (in French). 23 July 2014. Archived from the original on 11 May 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Mort de Hassan II". Jeune Afrique (in French). 21 July 2008. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  5. ^ "La dernière semaine du roi". La Croix (in French). 27 July 1999. ISSN 0242-6056. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  6. ^ "MAROC – Hassan II meurt des suites d'une crise caradiaque Une tâche immense attend le futur Mohamed VI". L'Orient-Le Jour (in French). 24 July 1999. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  7. ^ a b "La mort de Hassan II, roi du Maroc". Le Monde (in French). 25 July 1999. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  8. ^ a b c "مبايعة الامير محمد السادس ملكا للمغرب: العالم يشيع الحسن الثاني اليوم، اجتماع طارىء للحكومة والصدمة تخيم على الشارع المغربي" [The pledge of allegiance to prince Mohammed VI as King of Morocco: the world mourns Hassan II today; an emergency meeting of the government; shock hangs over the Moroccan street]. Al-Bayan (in Arabic). 24 July 1999. Archived from the original on 20 November 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d e Yamani, Abdelhakim (24 July 1999). "Morocco's King Hassan II Dead at 70". Rabat, Morocco. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  10. ^ a b "قادة وحكومات دول العالم يشاركون الشعب المغربي المفجوع في فقد مليكه الأحزان". Al Jazirah (in Arabic). 25 July 1999. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  11. ^ Henry, Michel (27 July 1999). "Le Maroc se réjouit de l'impact des funérailles. La diffusion planétaire a gonflé les coeurs". Libération (in French). Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  12. ^ a b c d "World leaders to mourn Hassan". BBC News. 24 July 1999. Archived from the original on 28 February 2004. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  13. ^ Balmer, Crispian (24 July 1999). "Leaders Start To Arrive For Morocco Funeral". TIME. Reuters. Archived from the original on 24 May 2001. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  14. ^ a b c d e "Region mourns death of King Hassan". Caversham, England: BBC News. 24 July 1999. Archived from the original on 7 September 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  15. ^ "Arab Leaders, Governments Mourn Death of Moroccan King". Tehran Times. 24 July 1999. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  16. ^ Maddy-Weitzman, Bruce (May 2002). Middle East Contemporary Survey: Vol. XXIII 1999. ISBN 9789652240491. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  17. ^ "'A visionary, a believer in peace'". BBC News. 24 July 1999. Archived from the original on 28 July 2003. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Moroccan Jews mourn the passing of King Hassan II". The Jewish News of Northern California. 30 July 1999. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  19. ^ Fritscher, Frederic (25 July 1999). "Jacques Chirac a exprimé son « immense peine »". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  20. ^ "Statement on the Death of King Hassan II of Morocco". The American Presidency Project. UC Santa Barbara. 23 July 1999. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  21. ^ "Remarks on the Death of King Hassan II of Morocco and an Exchange With Reporters in Aspen". The American Presidency Project. UC Santa Barbara. 24 July 1999. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  22. ^ a b c "Royal tribute to Moroccan king". BBC News. 24 July 1999. Archived from the original on 22 July 2003. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  23. ^ "Tribute to His Majesty Hassan II, late King of Morocco – GA plenary meeting – Verbatim records (excerpts)". Question of Palestine. United Nations. 28 July 1999. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  24. ^ Rahman, Rema (25 October 2011). "Who, What, Why: What are the burial customs in Islam?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2023. A person must be buried as soon as possible after death, says Imam Dr Abduljalil Sajid, chairman for the Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony in the UK. This is usually no more than 24 hours later.
  25. ^ a b c Canales, Pedro (24 July 1999). "La élite política mundial acude hoy a los funerales" [The global political elite attends the funeral today]. El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h "Morocco's King Hassan buried as thousands mourn". CNN. 25 July 1999. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  27. ^ a b "MAROC- Plus d'une quarentaine de chefs d'État et de gouvernement aux obsèques Hassan II repose aux côtés de son père Mohammed V". L'Orient Le Jour (in French). 26 July 1999. Archived from the original on 11 September 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  28. ^ a b Henry, Michel (26 July 1999). "Foule immense à Rabat aux obsèques de Hassan II. Mohamed VI prend les rênes de l'avenir du Maroc". Libération (in French). Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  29. ^ a b c Broder, John M.; Jehl, Douglas (26 July 1999). "In Scenes Of Tumult, Moroccans Bury King". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  30. ^ "Hassan II: A King Beloved or Despised?". IslamiCity. 26 July 1999. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Chen, Edwin; Wilkinson, Tracy (26 July 1999). "World Leaders Join 2 Million at King's Funeral". Los Angeles Times. Rabat, Morocco. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  32. ^ a b c Drozdiak, William (26 July 1999). "Funeral Becomes Forum for Peace Talk". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  33. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af "Lista de jefes de Estado y de Gobierno que asisten a los funerales de Hasán II" [List of heads of state and government attending the funeral of Hassan II]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Agence France-Presse. 25 July 1999. Archived from the original on 26 November 2004. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  34. ^ "Maroc-Japon: "Amitié et estime mutuelles", les liens forts unissant la Famille royale et la famille impériale" [Morocco-Japan: "Mutual friendship and esteem", the strong ties uniting the Royal Family and the imperial family]. 2M (in French). 22 October 2019. Archived from the original on 23 October 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  35. ^ "FARAH DIBA Y EL PRIMER MINISTRO TURCO, SULEYMAN DEMIREL, EN LAS EXEQUIAS DEL REY HASSAN II DE MARRUECOS | Photo | 8000104980". EFE Servicios. Rabat: EFE. 25 July 1999. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  36. ^ "Rabat reopens after king's funeral". BBC News. 26 July 1999. Archived from the original on 31 July 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  37. ^ a b Bourdillon, Yves (26 July 1999). "Les dirigeants du monde entier ont rendu hommage à Hassan II, artisan de paix" [World leaders pay tribute to Hassan II, a peacemaker]. Les Echos (in French). ISSN 0153-4831. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  38. ^ a b c d e f g Sanz, Juan Carlos (25 July 1999). "Don Juan Carlos se ofrece a actuar como un hermano mayor de Mohamed VI" [Don Juan Carlos offers to act as an older brother of Mohammed VI]. El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Archived from the original on 13 December 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  39. ^ a b c d e f "Morocco: World Leaders In Rabat To Attend Funeral Of Hassan". AllAfrica. Dakar. Panafrican News Agency. 25 July 1999. Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  40. ^ "Marokko: Trauerfeier für König Hassan II". Der Spiegel (in German). 25 July 1999. ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  41. ^ "Intervento ai Funerali di Stato del Re del Marocco Hassan II – Il Presidente Ciampi con Mohammed VI, erede al Trono". I Presidenti della Republica (in Italian). 25 July 1999. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  42. ^ "King Hassan of Morocco: world leaders mourn a ruthless despot". World Socialist Web Site. International Committee of the Fourth International. 28 July 1999. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  43. ^ "وداع جياش شارك فيه مليونا مغربي واكثر من30 زعيما: تشييع الحسن الثاني في اكبر جنازة شعبية ورسمية" [A strong farewell in which two million Moroccans and more than 30 leaders participated: the funeral of Hassan II in the largest public and official funeral]. Al-Bayan (in Arabic). 25 July 1999. Archived from the original on 20 September 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  44. ^ "SECRETARY-GENERAL ATTENDS FUNERAL OF KING HASSAN II OF MOROCCO". United Nations. 26 July 1999. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
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