Mohammed al-Shaykh
Mawlay Mohammed al-Shaykh al-Sharif al-Hassani, known as Mohammed al-Shaykh, was the first sultan of the Saadian dynasty of Morocco. He was particularly successful in expelling the Portuguese from most of their bases in Morocco. He also eliminated the Wattasids and resisted the Ottomans, thereby establishing a complete rule over Morocco.
Biography
War against the Wattasids and Portuguese
After the death of his father Abu Abdallah al-Qaim in 1517, Mohammed al-Shaykh took command of the war of the Saadi against the Portuguese. They conquered Marrakesh in 1524. Ahmad became Emir of Marrakesh, while still recognizing the Wattasid Sultan of Fez, and Mohammed remained as ruler of Taroudannt.In 1527, the Treaty of Tadla was agreed 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.
After 1536, and the rise in power of Ahmad, the brothers came into conflict with each other. Ahmad had in effect allied himself with the Wattasids under the regent Ali [Abu Hassun]. Mohammed could maintain his position in Southern Morocco and conquered Agadir in 1541 and other coastal towns, ousting the Portuguese. After the loss of Agadir, the Portuguese immediately evacuated Azamor and Safi. While Ahmad fled to Tafilalet.
Relationship with the Andalusis
The Andalusi relationship with the Saadian Sultanate was not good, although the victories of Muhammad al-Shaykh against the Portuguese had a good impact on the Andalusis, who fully supported him as a man of jihad. Muhammad al-Shaykh tried to ally with the Ottoman Empire to save Al-Andalus, but his conflicts with the Andalusi stopped him from doing so.War against the Ottomans
After reorganising 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, Tangier and Mazagan 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. With the final victory of the Saadians and the death of Ali Abu Hassun in 1554, the war was decided.