The Battle of Wadi al-Makhazin: Morocco's Three-King War

In 1578, three kings clashed on a dusty plain near Alcácer Quibir in northern Morocco: King Sebastian of Portugal, the deposed Saadian sultan Abd al-Malik, and the new sultan Ahmad al-Mansur. The battle, known as Wadi al-Makhazin or the Battle of the Three Kings, was a decisive victory for the Saadian dynasty that reshaped the balance of power in North Africa and the Atlantic. Lucas and Luna explore how a succession crisis drew Portugal into the Moroccan interior, the role of the Makhzen army—including Christian renegades and Andalusian arquebusiers—and the mysterious death of Abd al-Malik just hours before victory. They discuss the aftermath: Sebastian's death plunged Portugal into a succession crisis that led to the Iberian Union, while Ahmad al-Mansur used the victory to consolidate power and launch the Saadian golden age. The episode also covers the legend of the 'Hidden Imam' and the battle's legacy in Moroccan national memory. No ads, just history. #WadiAlMakhazin #BattleOfAlcacerQuibir #ThreeKings #Saadian #AhmadAlMansur #AbdAlMalik #SebastianOfPortugal #Makhzen #Morocco #Portugal #IberianUnion #Renegades #Andalusian #Arquebusiers #16thCentury #NorthAfrica #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo