Morocco's Other Dynasty: The Saadians vs the Portuguese at al-Mahdia

In 1510, a new power rose in southern Morocco: the Saadian sharifs. This episode dives into their early struggle against the Portuguese occupation of the Atlantic port of al-Mahdia (Mādinat al-Fatḥ). We explore the figure of Muhammad al-Qā'im, the founder of the Saadian dynasty, who launched a jihad against the Portuguese fort of Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gué (modern Agadir). We discuss the Battle of al-Mahdia (1515), where the Saadians failed to retake the port, and the shifting alliances with the Wattasid sultans in Fez. The episode also covers the role of the Ḥafṣīs of Tunis and the Ottoman corsairs, including the legendary Oruç Reis (Barbarossa), who briefly allied with the Saadians. Listeners will learn about the geopolitical chessboard of early 16th-century North Africa, where Portuguese expansion, Ottoman ambition, and local Moroccan dynasties collided. This is a fresh angle on Moroccan history, focusing on the Saadian rise to power before their famous victory at the Battle of the Three Kings. #Saadian #alMahdia #PortugueseEmpire #MoroccoHistory #MuhammadalQaim #OrucReis #BarbaryCorsairs #Wattasid #BattleofalMahdia #SantaCruzdoCaboDeGue #Agadir #Jihad #16thCentury #NorthAfrica #OttomanEmpire #Hafsid #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo