The ‘Lords of the Atlas’ commanded amongst the three of them the passes across the High Atlas. El Glaoui controlled the route over the Tizi n’Tichka, the pass from Marrakech to the Drâa and the Tafilalt. His rival El Goundafi dominated the Tizi n’Test pass between Marrakech and Taroudant, and El Mtouggi the passes further west. The power of these three late 19th and early 20th century warlords was untouchable by their subjects as well as by the Sultans and the French residents-generals.