North Africa had been controlled by the Ottoman empire from The 14th century into the early 20th century, but after the Napoleonic wars of the early 19th century the Maghreb (Western coastal north Africa) became more the province of local chieftains. This was especially true of Morocco as its location along the straits of Gibraltar gave it influence in both the Western Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic. As the European powers colonized much of Africa, Morocco was able to retain some degree of independence.

  Nevertheless, the French interest in Northern Africa was a powerful threat in the 19th century leading to the Franco Moroccan War between France and the Sultanate of Morocco in the fall of 1844. Morocco was able to substantially resist but in 1856 The Sultan Makhzen was eventually forced to sign the Anglo Moroccan treaty which provided ongoing independence to Morocco but reduced the Moroccan states control over its economy.

  Europe wasn't done with Morocco and war soon broke out again, this time with Spain, in 1859, concluding in 1860, but Spanish troops were not withdrawn until Morocco paid compensation (reparations) to Spain. This "fine" was paid by Morocco via money lent to it by the British, but this had the effect of further reducing the Sultan’s economic control of the country. The latter part of the 19th century saw a substantial increase in both the number and influence of Europeans in Morocco.

  During the middle 1800s the sultan made considerable efforts to improve Morocco's military capability and this eventually included the acquisition of modern rifles from Belgium.