Marthe Franceschini

Marthe Franceschini (1755 - 1799), renamed Lalla Dawiya was a slave concubine and then the wife of Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah of Morocco (r. 1757–1790).[1]

She was born in Corsica. When she was in her teens, she was kidnapped by Corsairs and sold at the slave market in Morocco. Described as a beauty, she was acquired by Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah as a slave concubine in his harem. She eventually gained a favorite position in the harem. As such, she converted to Islam and was given the name Lalla Dawiya. In 1786, the sultan made her one of his legal wives. She maintained diplomatic contacts with Europeans rulers such as Napoleon I.

See also

References
  1. Jacques Caillé, Une Corse sultane du Maroc : Davia Franceschini et sa famille, Paris, Pédone, 1968
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