Editing Spanish protectorate in Morocco (section)

===Formation===

In a convention dated 27 June 1900 (at the same time as [[Treaty of Paris (1900)]]), France and Spain agreed to recognize separate zones of influence in Morocco, but did not specify their boundaries. In 1902, France offered Spain all of Morocco north of the [[Sebou River]] and south of the [[Sous River]], but Spain declined in the belief that such a division would offend Britain.{{sfn|Woolman|1968|p=7–8}} The British and French, without any Spanish insistence,{{elucidate|date=April 2016}} acknowledged Spain's right to a zone of influence in Morocco in Article 8 of the {{lang|fr|[[Entente cordiale]]}} of 8 April 1904:{{sfn|Woolman|1968|p=7–8}}

{{blockquote|The two Governments, inspired by their feeling of sincere friendship for Spain, take into special consideration the interests which that country derives from her geographical position and from her territorial possessions on the Moorish coast of the Mediterranean. In regard to these interests the French Government will come to an understanding with the Spanish Government. The agreement which may be come to on the subject between France and Spain shall be communicated to His Britannic Majesty's Government.}}

[[File:Spanish territorial boundary changes in Northwest Africa 1885-1912.png|thumb|Spanish territorial boundary changes in Northwest Africa per the treaties of [[Berlin Conference|1885]], [[Treaty of Paris (1900)|1900]], 1902, [[Entente Cordiale|1904]], and [[Treaty Between France and Spain Regarding Morocco|1912]].]]

What exactly "special consideration" meant was dealt with in the secret third and fourth articles, specifying that Spain would be required to recognize Articles 4 and 7 of the treaty but could decline the "special consideration" if it wished:

{{blockquote|The two Governments agree that a certain extent of Moorish territory adjacent to Melilla, Ceuta, and other ''presides'' should, whenever the Sultan ceases to exercise authority over it, come within the sphere of influence of Spain, and that the administration of the coast from Melilla as far as, but not including, the heights on the right bank of the Sebou shall be entrusted to Spain.}}

The British goal in these negotiations with France was to ensure that a weaker power (Spain) held the strategic coast opposite [[Gibraltar]] in return for Britain ceding all their influence in Morocco.{{sfn|Woolman|1968|p=7–8}} France began negotiating with Spain at once, but the offer of 1902 was no longer on the table. Since France had given up its ambitions in [[Ottoman Libya]] in a convention with Italy in 1903, it felt entitled to a greater share of Morocco. On 3 October 1904, France and Spain concluded a treaty that defined their precise zones.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Treaty Between France and Spain Concerning Morocco |journal=The American Journal of International Law |volume=6 |number=2 [Supplement: Official Documents] |year=1912 |pages=116–20 |doi=10.2307/2212123|jstor=2212123 |s2cid=246003039}}</ref> Spain received a zone of influence consisting of a northern strip of territory and a southern strip. The northern strip did not reach to the border of [[French Algeria]], nor did it include [[Tangier]], soon to be internationalized. The southern strip represented the southernmost part of Morocco as recognized by the European powers: the territory to its south, [[Saguia el-Hamra]], was recognized by France as an exclusively Spanish zone. The treaty also recognized the Spanish [[exclave]] of [[Ifni]] and delimited its borders.{{sfn|Merry del Val|1920a|pp=330–31}}

In March 1905, the German ''[[German Emperor|Kaiser]]'', [[Wilhelm II, German Emperor|Wilhelm II]], visited [[Tangier]], a city of international character in northern Morocco. There he loudly touted Germany's economic interests in Morocco and assured [[Sultan of Morocco|the Sultan]] of financial assistance in the event of a threat to Moroccan independence. At Wilhelm's urging, Sultan [[Abdelaziz of Morocco|Abd el Aziz]] called for an international conference. The final act of the [[Algeciras Conference]] (7 April 1906) created the [[State Bank of Morocco]], guaranteed the attending powers equal commercial rights in Morocco and created a native Moroccan police force led by French and Spanish officers.{{sfn|Woolman|1968|p=10–11}}

The final Spanish zone of influence consisted of a northern strip and a southern strip centered on [[Cape Juby]]. The consideration of the southern strip as part of the protectorate back in 1912 eventually gave Morocco a solid legal claim to the territory in the 1950s.{{Sfn|Vilar|2005|p=143}} While the sparsely populated Cape Juby was administered as a single entity with [[Spanish Sahara]], the northern territories were administered, separately, as a Spanish protectorate with its capital at [[Tétouan|Tetuán]].

The Protectorate system was established in 1912. The Islamic legal system of [[qadi|''qadis'']] was formally maintained.