Sijilmasa and commanded a body of troops. In 1631, Moulay Sharif was proclaimed Emir of Tafilalt by the Sijilmassa inhabitants. Tafilalt is a region composed of ksours which all held equal status and traded together. Historians agree that Moulay Sharif did not conquer all ksours in Tafilalt but instead was unanimously proclaimed Emir of Tafilalt as people held the man in high esteem and regarded his prestigious sharifian lineage as upmost legitimacy for leadership. Moulay Sharif's rise to sovereignty took place when the power of the Saadi Sultanate was in serious decline and multiple regional factions rebelled and fought for control of what is present-day Morocco. Among the most powerful of these factions were the Dilaites, a federation of Sanhaja Amazigh in the Middle Atlas who increasingly dominated central Morocco at this time, reaching the peak of their power in the 1640s when their leader Mohammed al-Hajj al-Dila'i conquered Fez and Salé. Another faction was led by Aboulhasen Ali ben Mohammed Essoussi Essemlali (commonly named Bou Hasen or Abu Hassun), who initially serving the Saadians had rebelled with his men and became leader of the Sous valley and Dra'a since 1614. Bou Hasen was a very good friend of Moulay Sharif, the two men had very intimate links of friendship. Conflict with Tabouasamt In 1633, the people of Tabouasamt town rejected Moulay Sharif's authority. The town is surrounded by a citadel situated 20 km to the South of Sijilmasa. A great enmity existed between Moulay Sharif and the Beni Ezzoubir inhabitants of Tabouasamt. The latter were prideful of their mighty citadel and their wealth from commerce which resulted in their rejection of any central authority from Sijilmasa. Moulay Sharif called his good friend Bou Hasen for help in the Tafilalt, while people from Tabouasamt called the Dilaites. Both responded to their respective calls and the two armies of Bou Hasen and the Dilaites met in Sijilmasa. However, July 8, 1633, the armies separated without fighting, as peace was made to avoid spilling the blood of Muslims. When the people of Tabouasamt saw the great friendship and intimate ties that linked Emir Moulay Sharif and Bou Hasen they put meticulous effort at aiming to break these links. They expressed devotion to Bou Hasen and would have their children serve him exclusively. Their efforts paid off as reasons for discord between the two men increased and their relationship ended badly. Bou Hasen,