Mohammed al-Shaykh

Mawlay Mohammed al-Shaykh al-Sharif al-Hassani was a pivotal ruler in 16th-century Morocco. He served as the first sultan of the Saadian dynasty from 1544 to 1557. A sultan is a sovereign ruler or monarch. Mohammed al-Shaykh is best known for expanding his territory and defending his land. He successfully removed Portuguese forces from many Moroccan coastal bases. He also worked to end the rule of the Wattasid dynasty. Throughout his reign, he had to navigate complex conflicts with the Ottoman Empire.

Mohammed al-Shaykh's rise to power began after his father, Abu Abdallah al-Qaim, died in 1517. Mohammed and his brother, Ahmad al-Araj, led the Saadi war against the Portuguese. In 1524, they successfully conquered the city of Marrakesh. Following this victory, Ahmad became the Emir of Marrakesh. At that time, Ahmad still recognized the Wattasid Sultan of Fez as his leader. Mohammed established his own rule in the southern city of Taroudannt. He even built defensive walls around Taroudannt to protect his capital.

Internal politics and shifting alliances shaped the middle of his reign. In 1527, the Saadians and the Wattasids signed the Treaty of Tadla. This agreement followed a Wattasid defeat at the Battle of Wadi al-Abid. The treaty established clear territorial boundaries between the two dynasties. However, the peace did not last between the brothers. After 1536, Mohammed and Ahmad entered into a conflict. Ahmad allied himself with the Wattasid regent, Ali Abu Hassun. This rivalry forced Mohammed to focus on strengthening his position in Southern Morocco.

Military innovation played a major role in Mohammed's successes. He utilized European artillery, which are large-caliber guns, to gain an advantage. He used these weapons during the fall of Agadir in 1541. This victory caused a chain reaction along the coast. After losing Agadir, the Portuguese evacuated the towns of Azamor and Safi. By 1550, the Portuguese were also ousted from Ksar-el-Kebir and Asila. Only a few locations, such as Ceuta, Tangier, and Mazagan, remained under Portuguese control.

The struggle for control over Fez defined much of the Saadian political landscape. Mohammed reorganized his army using the Ottoman military model. In 1549, he used this force to conquer Fez and end Wattasid rule. He also provided military support to his son. This helped his son conquer Tlemcen in 1550. This victory removed the Zayyanid Sultan, who was backed by Spain, from power. Even so, the Ottomans helped the Wattasids briefly retake Fez in 1554. Mohammed responded by winning the Battle of Tadla to recapture the city in September 1554.

Mohammed al-Shaykh's relationship with the Andalusis was complicated. The Andalusis were people from Al-Andalus, the former Muslim territory in Spain. Although they supported him as a man of jihad, their relationship with the Sultanate was not good. Mohammed attempted to form an alliance with the Ottoman Empire to protect Al-Andalus. However, his ongoing conflicts with the Andalusis prevented this alliance from happening. He eventually turned toward Spain to help manage the Ottoman threat. This shifting diplomacy was a constant part of his leadership.

The reign of Mohammed al-Shaykh ended in 1557 through an assassination. He was preparing an alliance with Spain against the Ottoman Empire. During this time, some Ottoman soldiers entered his service by pretending to be deserters. These soldiers were actually working under orders from Hasan Pasha, the son of Hayreddin Barbarossa. They assassinated Mohammed in 1557. He was buried in the Saadian Tombs located in Marrakesh. His son, Abdallah al-Ghalib, succeeded him as sultan. Abdallah al-Ghalib later defeated invading Turks at the Battle of Wadi al-Laban in 1558.