Blockades of the Spanish enclave of Ceuta by Moroccan forces (1694-1727)
Spanish–Moroccan conflicts
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Spanish-Barbary Wars
(1605?1792)
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The
sieges of Ceuta
, also known as the
thirty-year siege
,
[1]
were a series of blockades by
Moroccan
forces of the Spanish-held city of
Ceuta
on the North African coast. The first siege began on 23 October 1694 and finished in 1720 when reinforcements arrived.
[2]
During the 26 years of the first siege, the city underwent changes leading to the loss of its
Portuguese character
. While most of the military operations took place around the city walls (
Spanish
:
Murallas Reales
), there were also small-scale penetrations by Spanish forces at various points on the Moroccan coast, and the seizure of shipping in the
Strait of Gibraltar
. The city was placed under a second siege in 1721 until 22 April 1727. The engagements are considered to be the longest siege in history.
Background
[
edit
]
Ismail bin Sharif
had succeeded in creating a new
state
able to challenge European powers in North Africa, as well as the
Ottoman Empire
in present-day
Algeria
. His forces had captured
Mehdya
,
Tangier
,
Larache
and most recently
Asilah
in 1692. In 1694 he gave the governor Ali bin Abdallah the task of conquering Ceuta.
Siege
[
edit
]
The first siege
[
edit
]
Following the occupation of the open country around Ceuta, the sultan's troops began to construct buildings and cultivate the land to sustain themselves. The governor of Ceuta thereupon asked the Madrid court for help. Troops were sent from
Andalusian
towns and from
Portugal
. The arrival of the Portuguese led to friction with the local population. As Ceuta had been in Portuguese hands up to a few decades previously, their intentions were doubted. The presence of these troops was seen as an attempt to exert pressure for a return of Portuguese sovereignty. The Portuguese troops were withdrawn without engaging in combat.
During this period, there were repeated bombardments, gains, and losses of positions around the city walls. In July 1695, during a dense fog ? common at Ceuta in summer ? the Moroccan troops made a surprise attack on the Spanish during a change of guard. The besiegers captured the central square (
Plaza de Armas
). Those among the defenders who failed in crossing the drawbridge were killed in battle or when they jumped into the moat in an attempt to escape. A later Spanish counterattack regained the
Plaza de Armas
.
[3]
The capture of Gibraltar
[
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]
In 1704, English and Dutch troops conquered
Gibraltar
. This was a severe blow for Ceuta, as Gibraltar had been on the main supply route from the
peninsula
.
[4]
Communications via
Tarifa
proved to be difficult owing to strong winds in the Strait of Gibraltar; while other nearby Spanish cities were inaccessible due to their involvement in the
War of the Spanish Succession
.
On 7 August of that year
Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt
sent
Juan Basset
(a Spanish military commander supporting the Habsburg candidate
Archduke Charles of Austria
as successor to the Spanish throne) to Ceuta with part of the Anglo-Dutch fleet, calling on the city to surrender in the name of the Archduke with the promise that the siege would then be over. The Marquis of Gironella, governor of the city, and the population refused to surrender to the English. They reinforced the
Almina
peninsula to prevent any bombardment by the fleet. No English attack took place, as the fleet was diverted to confront a Franco-Spanish fleet (
Battle of Malaga
) which was aiming to retake Gibraltar.
Once Gibraltar was in English hands, it became a supply source for the Moroccan besiegers.
The arrival of the Marquis of Lede
[
edit
]
During the following years, the siege continued with little significant change until the arrival in 1720 of 16,000 soldiers under the command of the
Marquis of Lede
. These troops were returning from the
War of the Quadruple Alliance
, which had not achieved the results the Spanish had hoped for. After the loss of all Spanish territory in
Italy
, Ceuta became a position of strategic importance in the Spanish defensive cordon in the
Mediterranean
. The Marquis launched a successful expedition against the besiegers, who retreated to
Tetuan
. However, upon an outbreak of plague a few months later in 1721, the Marquis decided to leave the city, seeing no prospect of capturing Tetuan or Tangier.
The second siege
[
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]
After the Marquis left, the Moroccans immediately took back the initiative.
[3]
Another siege and several more battles occurred from 1721 until the death of Mawlay Ismail in 1727. War for the throne broke out among the sultan's sons. On 22 April, a reconnaissance expedition from Ceuta confirmed that the Moroccans had left.
[3]
Aftermath
[
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]
During the sieges, many buildings were destroyed and had to be rebuilt. The Almina quarter, almost uninhabited until the start of the siege, began to be populated. Another of the most significant consequences was the gradual loss of Portuguese features: the
Portuguese language
and currency was replaced by the
Spanish language
and currency.
[3]
This process was assisted by the departure of several families fleeing from the long siege and by the mainly Andalucian origin of the soldiers sent to defend the city and of others who were attracted to the city by the presence of the large body of troops.
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Benady, Tito (1999). "The Convent At Gibraltar".
Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research
.
77
(311): 196?209.
JSTOR
44230279
.
- ^
Rezette, Robert (1976).
The Spanish Enclaves in Morocco
. Nouvelles editions latines. p. 41
. Retrieved
23 August
2015
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
Montes Ramos, Jose (1999).
El sitio de Ceuta, 1694?1727: el ejercito de Carlos II y Felipe V
. Agualarga. p. 31,35,42?43.
- ^
Gomez Barcelo, Jose Luis.
Repercusiones de la caida de Gibraltar en Ceuta
(Almoraima: revista de estudios campogibraltarenos ed.). Mancomunidad de Municipios del Campo de Gibraltar. pp. 93?108.
35°53′18″N
5°18′56″W
/
35.88833°N 5.31556°W
/
35.88833; -5.31556
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