Battle of Tadla

The Battle of Tadla occurred in September 1554 in Tadla, Morocco, between Ali Abu Hassun, last ruler of the Wattasid dynasty, and Mohammed ash-Sheikh, ruler of the Saadis.

In 1549, the Wattasid had lost Fez and then Tlemcen to the southern Saadian rivals under their leader Mohammed ash-Sheikh. Ali Abu Hassun fled to the neighbouring Ottoman Empire possession of Algiers, where he was offered asylum.

Ali Abu Hassun was able with the help of the Ottomans under Salah Rais to reconquer Fez in 1554. Ali Abu-Hassun was put in place as Sultan of Fez, supported by Janissaries. Ali Abu Hassun soon paid off the Turkish troops, and gave them the base of Peñon de Velez, which the Moroccans had reconquered from Spain in 1522.

The reconquest of Fez was short-lived however. Ali Abu Hassun was vanquished and killed by the Saadians at the Battle of Tadla in September 1554.

Following the battle, Mohammed ash-Sheik was able to enter the city of Fez on 13 September 1554, and became the undisputed ruler of Morocco, establishing the Saadian dynasty as the sole ruler of the country.

The Ottomans would react by having Mohammed ash-Sheik assassinated in 1557, and tried to invade the country the following year, leading to the Battle of Wadi al-Laban.