Name: Battle of Wadi al-Makhazin (986/1578)
Start: 1578-08-04

Battle of Wadi al-Makhazin (986/1578)

معركة وادي المخازن (٩٨٦هـ/١٥٧٨م)

4 August 1578 CE · 30 Jumada II 986 AH

The Battle of the Three Kings at al-Qasr al-Kabir, Monday 30 Jumada II 986/4 August 1578. Morocco's sultan Abd al-Malik al-Mu'tasim — Ottoman-backed — met King Sebastian of Portugal, who had massed tens of thousands of Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and German troops to restore his deposed ally Muhammad al-Mutawakkil. Abd al-Malik cut the enemy from his fleet and blew the river's only bridge; he died of illness minutes into the battle, his chamberlain Ridwan and brother Ahmad al-Mansur concealing it until victory was complete in four hours and a third. All three kings perished — Sebastian slain, al-Mutawakkil drowned, Abd al-Malik on the field — and Ahmad al-Mansur was acclaimed on the spot; the Sa'di star rose until Europe's embassies 'kept morning and evening at her palace gates' ¹.

Summary

The Battle of the Three Kings at al-Qasr al-Kabir, Monday 30 Jumada II 986/4 August 1578 ¹.

The muster

Sebastian massed tens of thousands of Spanish, Portuguese, Italians and Germans in a thousand ships to restore his deposed ally al-Mutawakkil; Morocco's people rallied to Abd al-Malik, steadied by Abu al-Mahasin al-Fasi, and Morocco's ulema answered al-Mutawakkil's letter with one exposing his enlistment of infidels against Muslims ².

The plan

Abd al-Malik drew the enemy to a field far from its fleet, had the river's only bridge blown by a squadron under his brother al-Mansur, placed his artillery in front and kept cavalry in reserve to run down the rout ³.

The sultan's death and the victory

Ill as he was, Abd al-Malik repelled the first charge sword drawn — 'since when does sickness bar Muslims from jihad?' — then died in his tent, finger to his lips; only his brother Ahmad al-Mansur and the chamberlain Ridwan knew, the latter still relaying orders in his name. Al-Mansur struck the Portuguese rear and they broke toward the destroyed bridge; drowned, slain and taken, three kings perished in four hours and a third ⁴.

The results

Ahmad al-Mansur was acclaimed on the field; the Sa'di star rose until Europe's embassies kept morning and evening at her palace gates, Portugal's fell, and vast ransoms flowed to redeem her captives ⁵.

Sources

al-Dawla al-Uthmaniyya — Ali Muhammad al-Salabi (2001) , p. 258-268

al-Dawla al-Uthmaniyya — Ali Muhammad al-Salabi (2001) , p. 260-263

al-Dawla al-Uthmaniyya — Ali Muhammad al-Salabi (2001) , p. 264

al-Dawla al-Uthmaniyya — Ali Muhammad al-Salabi (2001) , p. 265

al-Dawla al-Uthmaniyya — Ali Muhammad al-Salabi (2001) , p. 267-268

Abd al-Malik al-Mu'tasim bi'llah al-Sa'di

The Sa'di sultan who had fled to the Porte; the Ottomans armed him with five thousand well-equipped fighters to take Fez from his nephew al-Mutawakkil, then sent trainers, weapons and a corps against the Portuguese invasion. His reforms: renewed shipbuilding, maritime trade, a modern army on the Ottoman model of arms and ranks, strengthened diwans and a consultative body versed in home and foreign affairs — his brother Ahmad al-Mansur his right hand. He won the awe of his age even among Europeans; the contemporary French poet Agrippa d'Aubigné called him his people's fairest, sharp of mind, versed in Spanish, Italian, Armenian and Russian, an excellent Arabic poet. At Wadi al-Makhazin he cut the enemy from his fleet, blew the bridge, and repelled the first charge sword drawn though ill — 'since when does sickness bar Muslims from jihad?' — then died in his tent, finger to his lips: conceal it until victory.

Battle of Wadi al-Makhazin (986/1578)

At a glance

In time