North Africa had long been a power struggle between the Europeans and native states, or
Ottoman vassals.
The Spanish and Portuguese had long held a number of cities within North Africa, largely
for future colonization that the discovery of the new world put on hold.
Many wars and battles would be waged over these cities, and in today's episode.
We will be covering one of those conflicts.
The 1732, Spanish Invasion of Oran.
During the multi year long War of Spanish Succession.
The Spanish cities of Oran and Mers El K bir, which had been longtime Spanish strongholds
in North Africa, were finally re-taken by the Beylik of Mascara in 1708, ending over
two centuries of European control in the region.
With the war of succession ended, and with the resurgence of the new Spain, King Philip
V, organized an expedition to recoup the lost cities, paid largely via threatening the Republic
of Genoa in 1726 to either pay 2 million paso's, or have the city be bomb into oblivion.
Of the 2 million given to the Spanish, 1.5 million would be set aside for this expedition,
and by 1728, the beginnings of the plans were set into motion.
The Spanish fleet would start to be assembled in the city of Alicante at the start of 1732,
headed by the Duke of Montemar, Jos Carrillo de Albornoz.
The preparation of the expedition nearly caused the ruin of Alicante, as the town was largely
supplied from the port, and most of what came in was automatically given towards the expedition.
But, after months of planning, gathering of men, supplies, and ships.
The invasion fleet would finally set sail.
It's eyes on the city of Oran.
Making up this grand fleet would be 12 ships of the line, each of them packing 60 or 74
guns.
50 frigates, packing 32 or 40 guns, 26 half galleys with six guns each, 96 Xebec vessels,
acting as both troop and supply vessels.
109 troop Transport vessels, Plus hundreds more craft that included a combination of
Brigs, Galleys, Bomb Vessels, mortar boats, and others.
The army itself, was split into 32 infantry battalions, twelve royal guard regiments,
and a company of Oranian riflemen, Amounting to 23,000 men.
Aiding them, would be 3,400 cavalrymen, split into 8 regiments, as well as an artillery
battalion which boasted 60 guns and 20 mortars.
Mustapha Bouchelaghem the Dey of Algeris, had received advanced warning of the Spanish
invasion and gathered his forces for their eventual arrival.
With him, would be his militia forces amounting to roughly 9,000 men, 1,500 of them being
mounted tribal warriors.
Most of the men were poorly if trained at all, and most were poorly equipped, many having
firearms dating back decades if not hundreds of years, or were armed with swords and bows
as their only offensive capability.
At the center of the army, and acting as its hardened core however, were 150 Ottoman Janissaries
with relatively modern equipment, including a small contingent of modern artillery, numbering
ten pieces.
Supporting the Dey, would be allied troops numbering 1,500 Turkish regulars and 5,000
horsemen from the Kingdom of Fez.
The Ottomans themselves would send 2,000 Jannisarries from Constantinople to aid as well, but neither
force was present during the invasion.
The Dey would be left with his out numbered and out equipped forces to fend off the Spanish.
On June the 27th, the Spanish would arrive off the coast, landing just to the east of
Mers el-Kebir.
The landing was not heavily opposed, and only skirmishers, consisting of light Algerian
Calvary would engage the Spanish, slowing them down on their advance towards the city.
At a location between the two cities, the Spanish would set about building a small fort
from where to launch their invasions from.
The Algerians would attack multiple times at the encampment, but would be repulsed time
and time again.
With his force split between three locations, the Dey know that he didn't have the ability
to stop the Spanish.
Instead, he decided that the best course of action was to consolidate his forces, harass
the invading troops as best as he could, and await reinforcements.
The Spanish would reach the gates of Mers el-Kebir on July the first, defending the
city, was the 150 janissaries that the Dey had at his command, the rest of the men having
been transferred out from the city, and taking up positions with the rest of the army in
the mountain pass.
The Spanish would put the city under siege, but the Janissaries surrendered on the same
day, on the condition that they would be allowed to leave Algeria and return home.
Albornoz, hearing that the Dey's troops were on the move, quickly advanced with 7,000 men
towards the nearby mountains where he knew the bulk of the Algerian army was.
Caught off guard by the sudden advance.
The Algerian army scattered, some re-grouping in Oran itself, while many others simply laid
down their arms and returned home.
His forces now scattered and weakened even more, the Dey pulled all his troops out from
Oran, knowing that defending it was not possible, and the Spanish would occupy the city on July
the 5th.
This wouldn't be the last of the Dey's attempts however.
In August, after Montemar had left North Africa, with a garrison of 8,000 troops in the cities.
The Dey, now reinforced with the Fezian troops and Ottoman reinforcements, would attempt
to take Oran again.
With 10,000 men he'd advance on the city, but ultimately would fail.
Losing 2,000 men to the Spanish's 500.
While he would continue to prob the city for the rest of the year, he never had the manpower
to dislodge the garrisoned troops, and he'd ultimately admit defeat and send the rest
of his men back home.
Leaving Spain once again with the Algerian footholds.
Yet, Spain would not forget of this war.
And years later, they would once again come back in force to try and pacify Algeria, leading
to one of the largest disasters ever to face the Spanish army.
But, that is a topic, for another time.