Muhammad al-Shaykh

Mawlay Mohammed al-Shaykh al-Sharif al-Hassani , known as Mohammed al-Shaykh (; b. – d. 23 October 1557), was the first sultan of the Saadian dynasty (1544–1557). He was particularly successful in expelling the Portuguese from most of their bases in present-day Morocco. He also eliminated the Wattasids and resisted the Ottomans.

Biography

War against the Wattasids and Portuguese After the death of his father, Abu Abdallah al-Qaim in 1517, Mohammed al-Shaykh (together with his brother, Ahmad al-Araj) took command of the war of the Saadi against the Portuguese. They conquered Marrakesh in 1524.

In 1527, the Treaty of Tadla was agreed upon between the Saadians and the Wattasids, following the Wattasid defeat in the Battle of Wadi al-Abid. Both dynasties agreed on their respective territorial control, which was separated by the Tadla region.

War against the Ottomans Mohammed al-Shaykh initially had his capital in the southern Moroccan city of Taroudannt, the walls of which he built. The capital was then moved to Marrakesh after its conquest in 1524. After reorganizing his army after the Ottoman example, he succeeded in conquering Fez in 1549, causing the downfall of the Wattasids. In the conquest of Fez he again used European artillery, which he had also used in the Fall of Agadir in 1541. He then provided an army to his son, who was able to conquer Tlemcen in 1550, and throw out the Spanish-backed Zayyanid Sultan of Tlemcen.

After the fall of Fez, Ksar-el-Kebir and Asila; the Portuguese were ousted in 1550. Finally, only Ceuta (1415–1668), Tangier (1471–1661) and Mazagan (1502–1769) remained in Portuguese hands.

With help of the Ottomans, the Wattasids under Ali Abu Hassun were able to conquer Fez once more in early 1554; but that conquest was short-lived, and Mohammed al-Shaykh was able to vanquish the last Wattasids at the Battle of Tadla, and recapture the city of Fez in September 1554. During the Ottoman Siege of Oran (1556), Mohammed, who was allied with the Spanish, managed to capture Tlemcen from the Ottomans.