Ottoman expeditions to Morocco

In the 16th century the Ottomans led a few expeditions to Morocco.

Ottoman expeditions to Morocco
Location
Morocco
Result

- Ottoman force conquers Fez and installs vassal ruler on two occasions[1]

- Moroccan vassalage to the Ottoman Empire [2] [3]
Belligerents
 Ottoman Empire Saadi Dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Salah Rais
Ramadan Pasha
Abd al-Malik		 Muhammad al-Mahdi Mulay Muhammed

The first expedition was the Conquest of Fez which took place in 1554. Salah Rais with an Ottoman force composed of 4000 troops defeat an army of 20,000 Moroccans and conquer Fez successfully installing Ali Abu Hassun as a vassal ruler to the Ottoman sultan.[4][5][6]The Ottoman troops, Turks and Berbers from Kabylia stayed in Fez for four months harassing the population until Ali Abu Hassun bought the withdrawal of the Ottoman troops. Ali Abu Hassun then hired mercenaries for his own army, however the Wattasids now without the help of the Ottoman troops were defeated in the Battle of Tadla and Fez was reconquered.[7]

Another expedition took place in 1576. After Fez was reconquered the Moroccan sultan made an alliance with Spain, the Ottomans therefore had the sultan of Morocco assassinated in response to this alliance.[8]Abd al-Malik was then exiled to the Ottoman Empire where he learned Turkish and joined the Janissary corps becoming a skilled military man also participating in the Siege of Tunis in 1574.[9]Abd al-Malik petitioned Murad III for assistance in seizing the Saadi throne from his nephew. He offered to Murad III a proposition of making Morocco an Ottoman vassal. [10]The governor of Algeria Ramadan Pasha was ordered by sultan Murad III to invade Morocco and establish Abd al-Malik as the ruler. In 1576 an Ottoman force commanded by Ramadan Pasha and Abd al-Malik composed of 10,000 troops left Algiers to install Abd al-Malik as the sultan of Morocco and vassal to the Ottoman sultan in the Capture of Fez. [11][12] The battle was successful and shortly after Abd al-Malik gave presents of gold to the Turks on the condition that they return to Algiers, suggesting that he had a looser concept of vassalage.[13][14] The two year reign of Abd al-Malik was understood to be a period of de facto Moroccan vassalage to the Ottoman Empire.[15]

Battles involving the Ottoman Empire and Morocco

- Campaign of Tlemcen (1551) (Algerian-Ottoman Victory)
- Conquest of Fez (1554) (Ottoman Victory)
- Battle of Tadla (1554) (Saadi Victory against Watassids)
- Campaign of Tlemcen (1557) (Algerian-Ottoman Victory)
- Battle of Wadi al-Laban (1558) (Indecisive)
- Expedition to Mostaganem (1558) (Algerian-Ottoman Victory)
- Capture of Fez (1576) (Ottoman Victory)
- Battle of Moulouya (1691) (Algerian-Ottoman Victory)
- Battle of Chelif (1701) (Algerian-Ottoman Victory)

References
  1. Page 406-408, The Cambridge History of Africa, Vol. 3: c. 1050-c. 1600 (Volume 3)
  2. Page 406-408, The Cambridge History of Africa, Vol. 3: c. 1050-c. 1600 (Volume 3)
  3. Pages 82 and 104, Death in Babylon: Alexander the Great and Iberian Empire in the Muslim Orient
  4. Page 86, The Present State of the Empire of Morocco. Its Animals, Products, Climate, Soil, ... Translated from the French of M. Chenier. of 2; Volume 2
  5. Page 87-88, The Present State of the Empire of Morocco. Its Animals, Products, Climate, Soil, ... Translated from the French of M. Chenier. of 2; Volume 2
  6. Page 406, The Cambridge History of Africa, Vol. 3: c. 1050-c. 1600 (Volume 3)
  7. Page 406-407, The Cambridge History of Africa, Vol. 3: c. 1050-c. 1600 (Volume 3)
  8. Page 408, The Cambridge History of Africa, Vol. 3: c. 1050-c. 1600 (Volume 3)
  9. Page 23, Dictionary of African Biography, Volumes 1-6
  10. Page 23, Dictionary of African Biography, Volumes 1-6
  11. Page 408, The Cambridge History of Africa, Vol. 3: c. 1050-c. 1600 (Volume 3)
  12. Page 96, The Forgotten Frontier: A History of the Sixteenth-century Ibero-African Frontier
  13. Page 409, The Cambridge History of Africa, Vol. 3: c. 1050-c. 1600 (Volume 3)
  14. Page 23, Dictionary of African Biography, Volumes 1-6
  15. Page 104, Death in Babylon: Alexander the Great and Iberian Empire in the Muslim Orient
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