Fall of Agadir
Encyclopedia
The Fall of Agadir refers to the conquest of the city of Agadir
in Morocco
by the Saadians against the Portuguese
in 1541.
, in 1500 and 1504. 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.
Agadir was an important base, as it was sufficiently far south to connect to the sub-Saharan trade, mainly dealing in gold and slaves. Its role was so important that the southern Saadians under Araj initially refrained from attacking the city, between 1513 to 1525, until the capture of Marrakesh, and instead attacked the cities of Safi
and Azemmour
.
. 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.
He then set up a siege that lasted 6 months, until the Portuguese Governor of Agadir had to surrender. He used Western artillery, which he had obtained from European traders.
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. The Portuguese had also lost local support following the assassination of their allies Yahia ou Ta'fuft of Safi
in 1518, and Malik ibn Mawud of Agadir in 1521.
and Azammur were also evacuated by the Portuguese in October 1541. Ksar-el-Kebir
and Asila were also evacuated in 1550, after the Saadians captured Fez
, capital of Wattasid
Morocco, in 1549. This considerably reinforced Muhammed al-Shaykh's personal prestige, and opened the way to his conquest of the Moroccan throne.
Under the Portuguese, Agadir had been an important trading center between Europe and Morocco, particularly for the products of Sus
. Agadir later continued to develop as a trading base with Europe, receiving European cloth and wheat
in exchange for gold
and sugarcane
. At the end of the 17th century, the harbour fell under the rule of the Tazeroualt leaders, who were opposed to the Alaouites. When the Alouites gained supremacy in the 18th century, they closed the harbour of Agadir, in favour of the harbour of Essaouira
further north.
Agadir
Agadir is a major city in southwest Morocco, capital of the Agadir province and the Sous-Massa-Draa economic region .-Etymology:...
in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
by the Saadians against the Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
in 1541.
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 IslandsCanary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
, in 1500 and 1504. 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.
Agadir was an important base, as it was sufficiently far south to connect to the sub-Saharan trade, mainly dealing in gold and slaves. Its role was so important that the southern Saadians under Araj initially refrained from attacking the city, between 1513 to 1525, until the capture of Marrakesh, and instead attacked the cities of Safi
Safi, Morocco
Safi is a city in western Morocco on the Atlantic Ocean. The capital of the Doukkala-Abda Region, it has a population of 282,227 , but is also the centre of an agglomeration which has an estimated 793,000 inhabitants ....
and Azemmour
Azemmour
Azemmour or Azamor |The Olives]]"; ) is a Moroccan city, on the left bank of the Oum Er-Rbia River, 75 km southwest of Casablanca. Although it was a dependency of the King of Fez, Azemmour had great autonomy. In 1486 its inhabitants became vassals and tributaries of João II of Portugal...
.
Siege
The conquest of Agadir was finally achieved by Saadian leader Muhammad al-ShaykhMohammed ash-Sheikh
Mawlay Mohammed ash-Sheikh ash Sharif al-Hassani al-Drawi at-Tagmadert was the first sultan of the Saadi dynasty ruling over Morocco . "Al-Drawi at-Tagmadert" means: the man from the Draa river valley, from Tagmadert. He was particularly successful in expelling the Portuguese from most of their...
. He was able to mount the campaign as a peace had been signed with the northern Wattasids, through the 1527 Treaty of Tadla
Treaty of Tadla
The Treaty of Tadla was a treaty signed in 1527 between the rival Moroccan dynasties of the Marinid Wattasids in the north of the country, and the southern Saadis...
.
He first built a kasbah
Kasbah
A kasbah or qassabah is a type of medina, Islamic city, or fortress .It was a place for the local leader to live and a defense when a city was under attack. A kasbah has high walls, usually without windows. Sometimes, they were built on hilltops so that they could be more easily defended...
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.
He then set up a siege that lasted 6 months, until the Portuguese Governor of Agadir had to surrender. He used Western artillery, which he had obtained from European traders.
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. The Portuguese had also lost local support following the assassination of their allies Yahia ou Ta'fuft of Safi
Safi
Safi may refer to:*Safi Airways, an Afghan Airline based in Dubai*Safi, Morocco*Safi of Persia, a Safavid Shah of Iran*Safi, Malta, a local council on Malta*Safi , an Unani herbal medicine...
in 1518, and Malik ibn Mawud of Agadir in 1521.
Aftermath
After taking the city, Muhammad al-Shaykh reinforced its defences. The capture of the city was followed by the removal of the Portuguese presence in Morocco; the ports of SafiSafi, Morocco
Safi is a city in western Morocco on the Atlantic Ocean. The capital of the Doukkala-Abda Region, it has a population of 282,227 , but is also the centre of an agglomeration which has an estimated 793,000 inhabitants ....
and Azammur were also evacuated by the Portuguese in October 1541. Ksar-el-Kebir
Ksar-el-Kebir
Ksar el Kebir is a city in northwest of Morocco with 110,000 inhabitants, about 160 km from Rabat, 32 km from Larache and 110 km from Tangier....
and Asila were also evacuated in 1550, after the Saadians captured Fez
Fes
Fes or Fez is the second largest city of Morocco, after Casablanca, with a population of approximately 1 million . It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region....
, capital of Wattasid
Wattasid
The Wattassids or Banû Watâs were a Berber dynasty of Morocco.Like the Marinids, they were of Berber Zenata descent. The two families were related, and the Marinids recruited many viziers from the Wattasids...
Morocco, in 1549. This considerably reinforced Muhammed al-Shaykh's personal prestige, and opened the way to his conquest of the Moroccan throne.
Under the Portuguese, Agadir had been an important trading center between Europe and Morocco, particularly for the products of Sus
SUS
SUS or Sus can refer to:SUS*Saybolt Universal Second, unit of viscosity*Science Undergraduate Society of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec*Scottish Universities Sport, a professional body for university sport...
. Agadir later continued to develop as a trading base with Europe, receiving European cloth and wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
in exchange for gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
. At the end of the 17th century, the harbour fell under the rule of the Tazeroualt leaders, who were opposed to the Alaouites. When the Alouites gained supremacy in the 18th century, they closed the harbour of Agadir, in favour of the harbour of Essaouira
Essaouira
Mogador redirects here, for the hamlet in Surrey see Mogador, Surrey.Essaouira is a city in the western Moroccan economic region of Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, on the Atlantic coast. Since the 16th century, the city has also been known by its Portuguese name of Mogador or Mogadore...
further north.