Moulay Ismail: Morocco’s Brutal Sultan

Looking this man in the eyes could be an instant death sentence. Moulay Ismail of

Morocco ruled like a god. He enslaved entire populations, including Christian

captives forced to sleep standing up while building his imperial city. His cruelty was

absolute; he once adorned his ramparts with the severed heads of ten thousand enemies to silence

dissent. He hated almost everyone—but he loved breaking records. Ismail is recognized

for fathering 888 children, the most in recorded history. His harem was strictly

guarded; if a stranger was caught merely glancing at one of his five hundred concubines,

they were executed instantly. In a final act of cold calculation, to prioritize his