Mauretania

Home > ... > History > Asia and Africa > Ancient History, Africa > ...

Mauretania

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Mauretania , ancient district of Africa in Roman times. In a vague sense it meant only "the land of the Moors" and lay W of Numidia, but more specifically it usually included most of present-day N Morocco and W Algeria. The district was not the same as modern Mauritania. It was a complex of native tribal units, but by the 2d cent. BC when Jugurtha of Numidia was rebelling against Rome, Jugurtha's father-in-law, Bocchus, had most of Mauretania under his control. The Roman influence became paramount, and Augustus, having met opposition in restoring Juba II (see under Juba I ) to the throne of Numidia, placed him instead (25 BC) as ruler of Mauretania. Revolts later occurred, and Mauretania was subdued (AD 41-AD 42); Emperor Claudius I made it into two provinces—Mauretania Caesariensis, with Caesarea (modern Cherchel) as capital, and Mauretania Tingitana, with Tingis (modern Tangier) as capital. Roman influence was never complete, and native chieftains remained powerful. With the onset of the barbarian invasions, Roman control weakened, and by the end of the 5th cent. AD it had disappeared.

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1E1-Mauretan" title="Facts and information about Mauretania">Mauretania</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"Mauretania." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 29 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Mauretania." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (November 29, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Mauretan.html

"Mauretania." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Mauretan.html

Learn more about citation styles

Mauretania

A Dictionary of Contemporary World History | 2004 | | © A Dictionary of Contemporary World History 2004, originally published by Oxford University Press 2004. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Mauretania A western African republic which came under French influence after 1900. It became part of French West Africa in 1920, though heavy Arab resistance to French colonial rule was not suppressed until 1934. A French Overseas Territory since 1946, it received autonomy within the French Community in 1958, and was granted independence on 28 November 1960. It was then governed by the Parti du Peuple Mauritanien (PPM, Mauretanian People's Party) under President Mokhtar Ould Daddah (b. 1924). In 1976 it occupied the southern half of Western Sahara, with Morocco occupying the north. However, its limited resources were overstretched by the costs of the occupation, during which the size of its army increased tenfold. Its fragile economy ground to a halt, weakened further by attacks from the West Saharan guerrilla movement, POLISARIO. Mauretanian forces were compelled to withdraw from Western Sahara in 1979, though their retreat was also partly precipitated by a military coup which had deposed Daddah in 1978.

After a period of political uncertainty, power passed to Maaonya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya (b. 1945) in 1984. He managed to stabilize the political system, but failed to reduce the ethnic tensions characterizing Mauretanian society since colonial times, between a well-educated Black minority and an underprivileged majority of Moors (a Muslim people of north-west Africa). Sporadic violence erupted, and in 1990 a group of Black Mauretanians staged an abortive coup against the government. As many as 100,000 Black Mauretanians (5 per cent of the population) fled into neighbouring Senegal that year. The President introduced a constitution in 1991 and elections in 1992. These were boycotted by the opposition parties, and Maaonya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya was confirmed as President. During the 1990s Mauretania's relations to its neighbours, especially Senegal, worsened, and in 1999 the government announced its intention to withdraw from ECOWAS. In 2002 Mauretania became the sixth country to qualify for debt relief under the HIPC Initiative.

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O46-Mauretania" title="Facts and information about Mauretania">Mauretania</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

JAN PALMOWSKI. "Mauretania." A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 29 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JAN PALMOWSKI. "Mauretania." A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (November 29, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O46-Mauretania.html

JAN PALMOWSKI. "Mauretania." A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. 2004. Retrieved November 29, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O46-Mauretania.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

Free Article LOTTO BOOST FOR SHOW ON MAURETANIA.
Newspaper article from: Shields Gazette (South Shields, England); 4/3/2006
Free Article Akula Partners LLC Extends Expiration Date of Tender Offer for Units of Ml Media Partners, L.P.
Business Wire; 12/18/2003
Free Article Akula Partners LLC Amends Terms of Its Tender Offer for Units of ML Media Partners, L.P.
Business Wire; 12/9/2003

Facts and information from other sites

Related topics

  Edit this list

Related articles from newspapers, magazines, and more

Painting sails in; PICTURE OF THE MAURETANIA LEAVING TYNE GOING ON DISPLAY.(News)
Newspaper article from: Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England); 2/27/2009; 615 words ; ...North East artist TM Hemy, which shows Mauretania leaving the Tyne in 1907, has been...painting shows Turbinia sailing alongside Mauretania. In fact, Turbinia was unable to sail...from Swan Hunter to Cunard. It shows Mauretania, which was the largest passenger ship...
MAURETANIA RETURNS AS LANDMARK.(News)
Newspaper article from: The Journal (Newcastle, England); 6/11/2008; 486 words ; A REPLICA of the liner Mauretania is proposed as a landmark feature on...Wallsend with Parsons steam turbines, the Mauretania left the Tyne in 1907 and held the Blue...artist's impression of the replica Mauretania.
Launch of the Mauretania: September 20th, 1906.(September's Anniversaries)
Magazine article from: History Today; 9/1/2006; 700+ words ; ...achievement and astonishing luxury. The Mauretania and her sister ship, the Lusitania...record, for more than twenty years. Mauretania was built for the Cunard Company by...days to New York and twenty days back. Mauretania could do it in five days each way...
LOTTO BOOST FOR SHOW ON MAURETANIA.
Newspaper article from: Shields Gazette (South Shields, England); 4/3/2006; 603 words ; ...sterling]38,000 boost. The liner Mauretania was launched at Swan Hunter's shipyard...the end of her service career, the Mauretania was the yardstick against which all...September 20 - 100 years to the day after Mauretania slid down the slipway into the Tyne...
Tyne liner Mauretania launched again - in photo exhibition.(News)
Newspaper article from: The Journal (Newcastle, England); 9/27/2003; 500 words ; ...opened. The Cunard passenger liner Mauretania was launched in 1906 at Swan Hunter...the unique identity of the region." Mauretania, the largest passenger vessel built...lasted five days. To ensure that the Mauretania was the fastest liner upon the prestigious...
Mauretania: Deep Sea Supply Plc wins new charter contracts from Repsol and Petronas.
News Wire article from: TendersInfo; 10/25/2008; 571 words ; ...days, the contract is worth over USD10m. The Sea Leopard and Sea Wolf 1 secured a contract from Petronas for operations in Mauretania. The contract covers one firm well and one option and was signed at a dayrate of USD65,000. Deep Sea Supply, managed...
First home of mighty Mauretania.(News)
Newspaper article from: Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England); 11/10/2005; 280 words ; A network of delicate metalwork and glass, this is the giant covered berth where the Mauretania was built at the Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Wallsend yard. The picture dates from 1939.
Memories of the great Mauretania.(News)
Newspaper article from: Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England); 11/20/2006; 360 words ; ...glass at Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson's Wallsend shipyard which was the giant covered berth where the Cunard liner Mauretania was built. She was launched on September 20, 1906, and sailed from LIverpool to New York on her maiden voyage on November...
Centenary refloat of Mauretania legend.(News)
Newspaper article from: The Journal (Newcastle, England); 4/5/2006; 700+ words ; ...to be built on the Tyne. The liner Mauretania was launched from Swan Hunter's Wallsend...loan to build two fast liners ( the Mauretania and the Lusitania, which was sunk by...submarine in the First World war. The Mauretania made her maiden voyage to America in...
Saudis ban oil product sales to four Arab nations. (Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Mauretania)
Newspaper article from: The Oil Daily; 10/3/1990; ; 700+ words ; ...Company has informed its customers that they must stop shipments of Saudi refined products to Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, and Mauretania. All four of these countries have more or less tilted toward Iraq or remained neutral in Arab League meetings and other diplomatic...

Pictures from Google Image Search

Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture

For students and teachers!

Encyclopedia.com provides students and teachers facts, information, and biographies from verified, citable sources, including:

Encyclopedia.com provides students and teachers facts, information, and biographies from verified, citable sources, including:

Popular on Newser: