Bab Mansour was actually the last important construction project ordered by Sultan Moulay Ismail. He conceived it not as a defensive stronghold, but as an elaborate homage to himself and to the strong Muslim orthodoxy of his dynasty. The architect behind the great masterpiece was a Christian convert to Islam named Mansour Laalej (whose name translates to “victorious renegade”) who sought to ascend in the sultan’s court. His name also contributed to the name of the gate (Mansour means “victorious” in Arabic).
Legend has it that when the gate was completed Moulay Ismail inspected it and asked Mansour Laalej if he could do better. El Mansour felt compelled to answer “yes”, but this only angered the sultan to the point that he had him executed. As colorful as this local tale may be, historical records show it probably did not occur as the gate was only completed in 1732, after the sultan’s death and under the reign of his son, Moulay Abdallah.
