Portuguese conquest of Tangier
{{Short description|Portuguese Military Campaign On Tangier}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Conquest of Tangier
| image = The Moors leaving the city of Tangier - História de Portugal, popular e ilustrada.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = The Moors leaving the city of Tangier (illustration by Alfredo Roque Gameiro, c. 1899)
| partof = Moroccan–Portuguese conflicts
| date = 28 August 1471
| result = Portuguese victory
| combatant1 = Image:PortugueseFlag1385.svg Kingdom of Portugal
| combatant2 = Wattasid dynasty
| commander1 = Image:PortugueseFlag1385.svg João of BraganzaIgnacio da Costa Quintella: Annaes da Marinha Portugueza Book I, Lisbon, Typographia da Academia de Lisboa, 1839.
| commander2 = Unknown
| strength1 = Unknown
| strength2 = Unknown
| casualties1 = Unknown
| casualties2 = Unknown
| territory = Establishment of Portuguese Tangier
}}
{{Portuguese colonial campaigns}}
{{Moroccan-Portuguese conflicts}}
The Portuguese conquest of Tangier (Portuguese: Conquista de Tânger) from the Wattasid dynasty, was a campaign that took place on 28 August 1471 by Portuguese forces under the order of King Afonso V, surnamed the African.
Background
The Portuguese began their overseas expansion with the conquest of Ceuta in 1415. Since then, they had conquered more cities in North Africa, such as, Ksar es-Seghir (1458), Anfa (1471) and Asilah (1471).{{Cite book |last1=Rosendo |first1=Lucía Ruiz |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eNWsEAAAQBAJ&dq=tangier+1471&pg=PA85 |title=Towards an Atlas of the History of Interpreting: Voices from around the world |last2=Baigorri-Jalón |first2=Jesús |date=2023-02-22 |publisher=John Benjamins Publishing Company |isbn=978-90-272-5405-4 |language=en}} These conquests, allowed Portugal to go further into Muslim territory, sacking and raiding villages, which brought much profit.{{Cite book |last1=Rosendo |first1=Lucía Ruiz |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eNWsEAAAQBAJ&dq=tangier+1471&pg=PA85 |title=Towards an Atlas of the History of Interpreting: Voices from around the world |last2=Baigorri-Jalón |first2=Jesús |date=2023-02-22 |publisher=John Benjamins Publishing Company |isbn=978-90-272-5405-4 |language=en}}
Long before 1471, the Portuguese already intended to take Tangier, having previously launched some attacks in an attempt to conquer the city. The famous disaster of Tangier, in 1437, was one of these attempts led by Prince Henry, the same man who began the Age of Discovery.
On the other hand, Morocco was under serious political and internal conflicts, which made it harder to fight the Portuguese threat.C.E. Bosworth, [https://books.google.com/books?id=2O_BQs6Sro0C&pg=PA41 The New Islamic dynasties], p.42 Edinburgh University Press 1996. {{ISBN|978-0-231-10714-3}}.
The Conquest
Shortly after the conquest of Asilah by the Portuguese, Afonso V ordered Dom João, who was probably the son of the Duke of Bragança, to take Tangier.Ignacio da Costa Quintella: Annaes da Marinha Portugueza Book I, Lisbon, Typographia da Academia de Lisboa, 1839.{{Cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2011/pastrana/pastrana_panels.pdf |access-date=2024-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513235156/https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2011/pastrana/pastrana_panels.pdf |archive-date=2016-05-13 }}
The citizens of Tangier believed support from Muhammad al-Shaikh, the governor of Asilah, would come to assist in repelling the invading Portuguese army. However, involved in his ongoing conflict with the governor of Fez, al-Shaikh opted to sign a treaty with the Portuguese, allowing them to enter Tangier unopposed.{{Cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2011/pastrana/pastrana_panels.pdf |access-date=2024-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513235156/https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2011/pastrana/pastrana_panels.pdf |archive-date=2016-05-13 }}
Fearing the same fate as Asilah, where 2,000 residents were killed and more 5,000 sold into captivity,Diffie, Shafer, Winius "On August 24 the Portuguese captured the city killing some 2000 "infidels" and taking 5000 captives." p.145{{Cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2011/pastrana/pastrana_panels.pdf |access-date=2024-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513235156/https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2011/pastrana/pastrana_panels.pdf |archive-date=2016-05-13 }} the civilians of Tangier fled the city.
Aftermath
Dom João nominated the first captain of Tangier to be Rodrigo Afonso de Melo, who took office with a garrison after the Marquis had left with the remainder of his troops.Ignacio da Costa Quintella: Annaes da Marinha Portugueza Book I, Lisbon, Typographia da Academia de Lisboa, 1839. The number of Portuguese soldiers in Tangier in 1471 numbered 40 horsemen; 470 infantry, of which 130 were crossbowmen; 10 gunners, 6 scouts.Dom Fernando de Menezes, conde de la Ericeira, etc: História de Tânger Durante La Dominacion Portuguesa, traduccion del R. P. Buanaventura Diaz, O.F.M., Misionero del Vicariato apostólico de Marruecos. Lisboa Occidental. Imprenta Ferreiriana. 1732. p. 51.
Over the next decades, the Portuguese would continue to attack other strategic cities, conquering many. The next generations of Muslim leaders would unsuccessfully assault Portuguese Tangier multiple times. Portuguese rule over Tangier would last until 1661, when they transferred it to England.Morse Stephens, 1891, p.330.