Meknes (; ;
Berber: ⵎⴽⵏⴰⵙ,
Mknas or
Meknas; ) is a city in northern
Morocco and the sixth largest city of the kingdom. Meknès was the capital of Morocco under the reign of
Moulay Ismail (1672–1727), before it was relocated to
Marrakesh. The urban population is estimated at 650,000 with the metropolitan population close to 1,000,000. It is the capital of Meknès Prefecture. Meknes is named after a
Berber tribe which, was known as
Miknasa (native Berber name:
Imeknasen) in the medieval North African documents.