First Moroccan Crisis

Wilhelm parades through Tanger.

The First Moroccan Crisis (also known as the Tangier Crisis) was an international crisis between March 1905 and May 1906 over the status of Morocco. Germany wanted to challenge France's growing control over Morocco, aggravating France and the United Kingdom. The crisis was resolved by the Algeciras Conference of 1906, a conference of mostly European countries that affirmed French control; this worsened German relations with both France and the United Kingdom, and helped enhance the new Anglo-French Entente.

The Kaiser's visit[]

On 31 March 1905 Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany arrived at Tangier, Morocco and conferred with representatives of Sultan Abdelaziz of Morocco.^[1] The Kaiser toured the city on the back of a white horse. The Kaiser declared he had come to support the sovereignty of the Sultan—a statement which amounted to a provocative challenge to French influence in Morocco. The Sultan subsequently rejected a set of French-proposed governmental reforms and issued invitations to major world powers to a conference which would advise him on necessary reforms.

French reaction[]

Germany sought a multilateral conference where the French could be called to account before other European powers. The French foreign minister, Théophile Delcassé, took a defiant line, holding that there was no need for such a conference. In response, Count Bernhard von Bülow, the German Chancellor, threatened war over the issue, although this was a bluff.^[2]^[3] Kaiser Wilhelm did not want war, stating in Bremen just before he set off: "My study of history hasn't encouraged me to strive for world domination. In the empire of which I dream, the German emperor will be trusted by other countries and must be seen as a honest and peaceful neighbour".^[4] The crisis peaked in mid-June. The French cancelled all military leave (15 June) and Germany threatened to sign a defensive alliance with the Sultan (22 June). French Premier Maurice Rouvier refused to risk war with Germany over the issue. Delcassé resigned, as the French government would no longer support his policy. On 1 July France agreed to attend the conference.

The crisis continued up to the eve of the conference at Algeciras, with Germany calling up reserve units (30 December) and France moving troops to the German border (3 January).

The Algeciras Conference[]

The Algeciras Conference was called to settle the dispute, lasting from 16 January to 7 April 1906. Of the 13 nations present, the German representatives found that their only supporter was Austria-Hungary. A German attempt at compromise was rejected by all but Austria-Hungary. France had firm support from Britain, Russia, Italy, Spain, and the United States. The Germans decided to accept a face-saving compromise agreement that was signed on 31 March 1906

Consequence[]

Although the Algeciras Conference temporarily solved the First Moroccan Crisis, it only worsened the tensions between the Triple Alliance and Triple Entente that ultimately led to the First World War.^[5]

The First Moroccan Crisis also showed that the Entente Cordiale was strong, as Britain had defended France in the crisis. The crisis can be seen as a reason for the Anglo-Russian Entente and the Anglo-Franco-Spanish Pact of Cartagena being signed the following year. Kaiser Wilhelm II was angry at being humiliated and was determined not to back down again, which led to the German involvement in the Second Moroccan Crisis.

References[]

^ Meakin, James; Meakin, Kate (1911). "Morocco". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 18 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 858.
^ Viscount Grey of Fallodon (1925). Twenty-Five Years, Vol. 1. New York: Frederick A. Stokes. pp. 49–52.
^ Massie, Robert K. (1992). Dreadnought: Britain, Germany, and the coming of the Great War. London: Cape. ISBN 0-224-03260-7.
^ Ereignisse und Gestalten. pp. 270–271.
^ Soroka, Marina (2011). Britain, Russia, and the Road to the First World War. Farnham: Ashgate. p. 114. ISBN 9781409422464.

show v t Diplomacy of the Great Powers (1871–1913)
Great powers	Austria–Hungary France Germany Italy Japan Russia United Kingdom United States
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Events	Unification of Germany Unification of Italy Congress of Berlin Berlin Conference Weltpolitik Naval arms races Anglo-German Dreadnought German Naval Laws Austro-Italian Fashoda Incident Annexation of Hawaii Venezuela Naval Blockade Alaska boundary dispute First Moroccan Crisis Algeciras Conference Second Moroccan Crisis Treaty of Fes Bosnian Crisis July Crisis
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show v t Tangier
History	History of Tangier Timeline European Governors of Tangier Battle of Tangier (1664) English Tangier Tangier Garrison Tangier Regiment 2nd Tangier Regiment Battle of Cape Spartel (1782) Treaty of Tangiers First Moroccan Crisis Tangier Protocol Tangier International Zone Administrators Battle of Cape Spartel (1936)
Economy	Economy of Tangier Tangier Exportation Free Zone Tanger-med
Districts and streets	Tangier City Center Grand Socco Petit Socco Rue Es-Siaghine beach
Religious buildings	Grand Mosque of Tangier Kasbah Mosque Sidi Bou Abib Mosque Church of the Immaculate Conception Anglican Church of St. Andrew
Palaces and museums	Dar el Makhzen American Legation Forbes Museum of Tangier Museum of Contemporary Art Fondation Lorin Musée de Carmen-Macein
Other buildings	Plaza de Toros bullring Gran Teatro Cervantes Hotel Continental Café Hafa Tangerinn
Schools and colleges	Tangier Anglo-Moroccan School American School of Tangier
Transport	Rabat-Tangier expressway Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport
Sport and culture	Atletico Tanger IR Tanger Stade de Tanger Stade de Marchan Cap Radio (Morocco) National Cricket Stadium
Geography	Bay of Tangier Parc de la Mendoubia Colline du Charf Cape Spartel Cape Malabata

First Moroccan Crisis

Contents

The Kaiser's visit[]

French reaction[]

The Algeciras Conference[]

Consequence[]

See also[]

References[]

Further reading[]