At the Heart of the Harem

Elisa Chimenti was born in Napoli but moved to Tunisia in 1884, before her family finally settled in Tangier, where her father served as personal physician to Sultan Moulay Hassan. Chimenti distinguished herself at an early age by her passion for learning, eventually mastering more than a dozen languages. She was captivated by Berber poetry and regional folklore, particular the experiences of local women. She studied at the University of Leipzig, returning to Tangier to teach and write. In 1914, she helped found the first Italian school in Morocco, where Muslim, Christian, and Jewish children were all welcome. She was the first European woman to teach at an Arabic university. Her Au coeur du harem (1958) was the first novel in French by a Moroccan woman.