middle day of Muharram 541 (27 June 1146). Beaumier, writing in 1860, stated the town still had a population of 5500, of whom 1000 were Jews. Earlier economy Al Bakri, writing in the 11th century on the eve of the Almoravid rise to power, described Aghmāt as a flourishing city where 100 cattle and 1000 sheep were slaughtered for sale in the Sunday souk (market). The inhabitants elected their own leader. Strictly speaking there were two Aghmāts: the commercial and political center was known as "Aghmāt Wurīka", and 8 miles distant from that was "Aghmāt Aylan" which was closed to outsiders. The town was served by the seaport of Qūz on the Atlantic coast three days journey west. Modern history On 18 November 1950, during the French occupation of Morocco, a group of Moroccan nationalists associated with the Istiqlal party held a demonstration at the tomb of Al-Mutamid. This was brutally suppressed by police acting under orders from Boujane, the caïd of the local Mesfioua tribe. Subsequent actions became one of the major irritants between Boujane's superior, the powerful Pasha of Marrakech T'hami El Glaoui, and the King of Morocco Mohammed V, which eventually led to the king's brief overthrow. The archaeological ruins visible today consist of part of the city walls, hammam, parts of some houses and qanats (irrigation canals), and some hundred metres or so of the city ramparts. The tomb of Al-Mutamid is marked by a contemporary mausoleum. It was erected in 1970 and has a cupola in the Almoravid style. References External links [ Moroccan Government web page for the site] A modern pilgrimage to the tomb of Al-Mutamid Al Haouz Province Archaeological sites in Morocco Former populated places in Morocco Former capitals of Morocco