The Anglo-french rapprochement and the question of Morocco: an uneasy way to the Entente cordiale, 1898–1904

Abstract

Through the signature of the Entente Cordiale, France and Great Britain settled their colonial disputes in non-European territories and started the cooperation. The entente became a milestone towards the birth of the alliances, which later clashed in the First World War. Based mainly on the non-published documents, this contribution tries to analyze the motives that permitted the Anglo-French rapprochement from 1898–1904. Attention is paid to the influences of the world diplomacy on the development of the negotiations. Furthermore, this article deals with the Moroccan points of contention between France and Great Britain, which together with the Egyptian question, were of crucial and strategic importance for the development of the Anglo-French relations.