Conquest of Melilla facts for kids
The Conquest of Melilla happened on September 17, 1497. On this day, a group of ships and soldiers sent by the Duke of Medina Sidonia took control of the city of Melilla in North Africa. This event was an important step for Spain in expanding its influence across the Mediterranean Sea.
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Why Melilla Was Important
Before the conquest, the city of Melilla was not doing very well. After Spain won the Granada War and the Emirate of Granada ended, the coast of North Africa became quite unstable. Pirates from the Sultanate of Fez and even from Cádiz often attacked ships.
Melilla, like many other cities on the Mediterranean coast, was losing its importance. Most of the money and trade had moved to cities on the Atlantic coast. Also, Melilla's port, strong walls, and fortress were damaged. This happened because of fights between the rulers of Fez and the Kingdom of Tlemcen.
The Catholic Monarchs (King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella) saw Melilla as a good place to expand their power. They wanted to control the African Mediterranean coast. This would help protect sea trade for their kingdoms, Aragon and Castile, and also for merchants from Genoa.
Planning the Conquest
At first, Spain couldn't try to conquer Melilla. This was because of an agreement called the 1479 Treaty of Alcáçovas. Under this treaty, Melilla was in Portugal's area of influence.
However, after the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas, the Crown of Castile was finally able to try and take Melilla. Even so, the Spanish kings were still busy finishing the Conquest of the Canary Islands. They also needed a lot of money for Christopher Columbus's voyages.
This is where the duke of Medina Sidonia came in. He was one of the richest men in the Crown of Castile. He had also helped with soldiers in the Battle of Aguere during the Canary Islands conquest. The Duke decided to lead the effort to take Melilla.
The Arrival and Takeover
The Duke of Medina Sidonia sent a commander named Pedro Estopiñán. He was given ships, soldiers, and even builders. Their mission was to go to Melilla and take control.
They arrived on September 17, 1497. The amazing thing is that they conquered the city almost without a fight! Once they had control, they immediately started to rebuild the city's walls and fortress.
The ruler of the Wattasid dynasty, Muhammad al-Shaykh, tried to get Melilla back. He sent a group of cavalrymen (soldiers on horseback). But the Spanish ships had cannons, and their guns pushed back the attackers.
What Happened Next
After Melilla was taken, Spain continued to expand along the North African coast. Other cities that followed were:
- Cazaza and Mazalquivir (1505)
- Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera (1508)
- Oran (1509)
- Peñón of Algiers, Béjaïa and Tripoli (1510)
- Annaba, Bizerta, Tunis and La Goulette (1535)
At the same time, Portugal was focusing on the Atlantic coast of Africa. They conquered cities like:
- Ceuta (1415)
- Tangier (1471)
- Mazagan (1502)
- Agadir (1505)
- Mogador (1506)
- Casablanca (1515)
Today, September 17 is celebrated as Melilla Day.
See also
- Plazas de soberanía
- Conquest of the Canary Islands
