Thami El Glaoui (1879–1956), widely known as El Pasha Glaoui, was a powerful Moroccan political leader and the Pasha of Marrakesh from 1912 to 1956. He came from the influential Glaoui family, which controlled large territories in the High Atlas and southern Morocco. During the French Protectorate, El Glaoui became one of the wealthiest and most influential figures in the country, often referred to as the "Lord of the Atlas."
He is historically remembered for his strong alliance with the French colonial authorities and his opposition to Sultan Mohammed V, whom he initially helped to depose in 1953. However, shortly before his death in 1956, and as Morocco approached independence, he shifted his position and reconciled with the Sultan.
El Glaoui’s legacy is controversial: he is seen both as a symbol of collaboration with colonial powers and as a figure of great political and cultural influence in Moroccan history.