Tadla

The Tadla region was one of the first regions of Morocco that was conquered by the Muslims during the 7th century. The region was relatively green and had a good agricultural potential, thus its name, Tadla, which comes from the Amazigh or Standard Moroccan Amazigh word "tadla" (written:ⵜⴰⴷⵍⴰ) meaning "the sheaf" (of wheat).

The population of the Tadla is traditionally divided into 9 tribes, mainly of Arab origin:

• Aït Robʿa tribe: occupying the western part of the modern Beni Mellal Province, formed under Moulay Ismael (r. 1672-1727) by the merging of an original Tadla tribe (Beni Mellal) with three Guich tribes (Guettaya, Samguet and Beni Maʿdane)
• Beni ʿAmir tribe: occupying the northern part of the modern Fquih Ben Salah Province
• Beni Khirane tribe: occupying the northwestern part of the modern Khouribga Province
• Beni Meskine tribe: occupying the southern part of the modern Settat Province, formerly part of the Tadla confederacy, joined the Chaouia confederacy in the 19th century
• Beni Moussa tribe: occupying the southern part of the modern Fquih Ben Salah Province
• Beni Zemmour tribe: occupying the eastern part of the modern Khouribga Province
• Ouardigha tribal confederacy: occupying the central and the western parts of the modern Khouribga Province; confederacy formed by 3 tribes: Oulad Bahr Kbar, Oulad Bahr Sghar and Smaʿla.