Great Siege of Mazagan
Mazagan (El Jadida), Casablanca-Settat, Morocco
What happened
A Portuguese garrison under Álvaro de Carvalho and Rui de Sousa de Carvalho defended the fortress against a Moroccan army of the Saadi Sultanate led by Prince Mohammed. Portugal held the walled port of Mazagan on Morocco's Atlantic coast. In 1562 a huge Saadi army surrounded it, dug trenches and tunnels, and bombarded its walls. The garrison held out for about two and a half months, reinforcements arrived by sea, and the Moroccan army, short of ammunition, withdrew.
Why it matters
Why it matters: Mazagan stayed a Portuguese stronghold in Morocco for two more centuries. The fortress city that survived is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, seen as a meeting point of European and Moroccan cultures.
What came next
Portugal finally left Mazagan in 1769, and most of its people were sent to Brazil. The town grew into the Moroccan city of El Jadida.
Did you know?
Under the old citadel is a beautiful vaulted cistern with a thin layer of water that reflects the pillars; the film-maker Orson Welles shot scenes for 'Othello' there.
Timeline
- 1514Portugal builds a citadel at Mazagan.
- 18 February 1562The Saadi siege begins.
- 7 May 1562The Moroccan army withdraws.
- 1769Portugal abandons Mazagan.
- 2004Mazagan becomes a UNESCO World Heritage Site.