Fall of Agadir

Coordinates: 30°26′N 9°36′W / 30.433°N 9.600°W / 30.433; -9.600
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Fall of Agadir
Part of
Portuguese possessions in Morocco (1415-1769). Agadir was Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gue for the Portuguese, in the southernmost part of Morocco.
DateMarch–September 1541
Location
Agadir, Morocco
Result Saadi victory
Belligerents
Portuguese Empire Saadi Sultanate
Commanders and leaders
Unknown
Muhammad al-Shaykh
Strength
Unknown Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

The Fall of

Saadians against the Portuguese
in 1541.

Background

Establishment and trade role

Agadir had been a Portuguese base since 1505. Before that, a few unsuccessful attempts to capture it had been made by the Spanish Governor of the Canary Islands, in 1500 and 1504.[1][2] The first Portuguese fort was built privately in 1505 by a Portuguese countryman, and the King of Portugal officially acquired it in 1513, also enlarging it and calling it Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gue.[2]

Agadir was an important base, as it was sufficiently far south to connect to the

Araj initially refrained from attacking the city, between 1513 and 1525, until the capture of Marrakesh, and instead attacked the cities of Safi and Azemmour.[1]

Siege

Muhammad al-Shaykh built the Kasbah of Agadir on top of the hill dominating the city.

The conquest of Agadir was finally achieved by Saadian leader

Muhammad al-Shaykh. He was able to mount the campaign as a peace had been signed with the northern Wattasids, through the 1527 Treaty of Tadla
.

He first built a kasbah on top of a hill to observe the city and direct his troops more efficiently. The Kasbah is still visible to this day, located about 7 kilometers from the city center.[3]

He then set up a siege that lasted 6 months, until the Portuguese Governor of Agadir had to surrender.[2] He used Western artillery, which he had obtained from European traders.[4]

The city had been poorly manned and provisioned by the Portuguese. Reinforcements were too sporadic. At one point a barrel of powder exploded which opened a gaping hole in the city's defenses.[5] The Portuguese had also lost local support following the assassination of their allies Yahia u-Ta'fuft of Safi in 1518, and Malik ibn Mawud of Agadir in 1521.[5]

Aftermath

Kasbah of Agadir
.

After taking the city, Muhammad al-Shaykh reinforced its defences.

Mazagan remained in Portuguese hands. This considerably reinforced Muhammed al-Shaykh's personal prestige, and opened the way to his conquest of the Moroccan throne.[1]

Under the Portuguese, Agadir had been an important trading center between Europe and Morocco, particularly for the products of

Alaouites.[2] When the Alouites gained supremacy in the 18th century, they closed the harbour of Agadir, in favour of the harbour of Essaouira further north.[2]

See also

  • Morocco-Portugal relations
  • Morocco-Ottoman relations

Notes

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-0-521-33767-0
    . Retrieved 28 October 2010.
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-1-56554-348-5
    . Retrieved 28 October 2010.
  3. ISBN 978-1-74104-856-8
    . Retrieved 28 October 2010.
  4. ^ The Cambridge history of Africa by J.D. Fage, John Desmond Clark, Roland Oliver, Richard Gray, John E. Flint, Neville Sanderson, Andrew Roberts, Michael Crowder p.405
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-3-89473-697-2
    . Retrieved 28 October 2010.

30°26′N 9°36′W / 30.433°N 9.600°W / 30.433; -9.600

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