Battle of Taza (1553)

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Battle of Taza
Part of Conflicts between the Regency of Algiers and Morocco
DateDecember 1553
Location
Taza
Result Algerian victory [1] [2] [3] [4]
Belligerents
Flag of Algiers.jpg Regency of Algiers Flag of Morocco (1258-1659).svg Saadi Sultanate
Commanders and leaders
Salah Rais Mohammed al-Shaykh
Strength
1,500 men [5] 30,000 cavalry
10,000 infantry
20 cannons
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

The Battle of Taza occurred in December 1553, it was a battle between the Regency of Algiers and the Saadi Sultanate. [5] Salah Reis left 1,500 men in charge of the victorious operation against the Moroccan camp near Taza, which was protected by a Moroccan army composed of 30,000 cavalry, 10,000 infantry and 20 cannons. [5]

The Wattasid Abou Hassan had sought intervention against the Sharif in Fez. [2] In 1553 Salah Reis departed with 600 musketeers, 1,000 spahis and 4,000 horsemen from the Kingdom of Kuku. [6] Salah Reis set out with his army in September and brought the Wattasid sovereign with him. [5] When Salah Reis stopped at Tlemcen, Mohammed ash-Sheikh set up his headquarters at Taza with 30,000 cavalry, 10,000 infantry and 20 cannons. [5]

Salah Reis crossed the border and arrived in sight of the Moroccan camp in December. [5] He conducted a night attack against the Moroccan camp. [5] The 1,500 men in the attacking column routed the Arabs who were frightened of the detonations. [5] Salah Reis was able to defeat the Moroccans in the first confrontation at Taza. [5] [1] [2]

The Sharif retreated to a height behind Taza and then retired to Fez in mid December. [5] Salah Reis received a reinforcement of 600 men from the Wattasid sovereign and went with all of his forces to the Oued Sebou, six kilometres from Fez. [5] Another battle against the Moroccans took place at Qudyat-al-Mahali in the suburbs of Fez in January and Salah Reis was victorious. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Abitbol, Michel. Histoire du Maroc. Tempus Perrin, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Julien, Charles André. History of North Africa: Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, from the Arab Conquest to 1830. Vol. 2. Routledge & K. Paul, 1970.
  3. de Haëdo, Diego, and Henri-Delmas de Grammont. "Hassan Pacha, roi pour la deuxième fois et douzième." Histoire du Maghreb (1998): 125-133.
  4. Buloz, François, Charles Buloz, Ferdinand Brunetière, Francis Charmes, René Doumic, and André Chaumeix, eds. Revue des deux mondes. Vol. 140. Au Bureau de la Revue des deux mondes, 1897.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Hamet, Ismaël. Histoire du Maghreb: cours professé à l'Institut des hautes études marocaines. E. Leroux, 1923. Pages 280-281.
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