The Fall of Tlemcen occurred in 1518, when the Ottoman admiral Oruç Barbarossa captured the city of

Tlemcen Tlemcen (; ar, تلمسان, translit=Tilimsān) is the second-largest city in northwestern Algeria after Oran, and capital of the Tlemcen Province. The city has developed leather, carpet, and textile industries, which it exports through the p ...

from its sultan, Abu Zayan, the last member of the Banu Zayan lineage."The town of Tenes fell into the hands of the brothers, with an immense booty, and then Uruj marched on Tlemcen. The Sultan of Tlemcen, the last of the royal race of the Banu Zayan, did not await the coming of the corsair." i
''Sea-Wolves of the Mediterranean'' by E. Hamilton Currey p. 72''ff''
/ref> The fall of Tlemcen followed the capture of Ténès, also by Oruç and his brother, Hayreddin. The Sultan of Tlemcen then fled to Fez in Morocco. Oruç crowned himself king of Tlemcen. The only survivor of Abu Zayan's dynasty was Sheikh Buhammud, who escaped to Oran and called for Spain's assistance. This victory put Oruç in control of the backcountry behind the Spanish base of

Oran Oran ( ar, وَهران, Wahrān) is a major coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria after the capital Algiers, due to its population and commercial, industrial, and cultural ...

, which greatly threatened their usual supply routes. This victory put Oruç in control of a considerable territory, the size of colonial

French Algeria French Algeria (french: Alger to 1839, then afterwards; unofficially , ar, الجزائر المستعمرة), also known as Colonial Algeria, was the period of French colonisation of Algeria. French rule in the region began in 1830 with the ...

."With the fall of Tlemcen Uruj became master of a territory as large as the modern French colony of Algeria, and his exploits made many of the rulers about the Mediterranean quake in their shoes." in ''The book of pirates'' Henry Gilbert, 207-208 The Spanish however soon reacted in 1518 by launching an attack on Tlemcen, which was away from Oran, and managed to corner and kill Oruç. They took possession of the region of Tlemcen. Soon however, the king of Morocco raised a considerable army and marched on Tlemcen, expelling the Spanish. The Ottomans would again exert direct influence in Tlemcen from 1553.''A history of the Maghrib in the Islamic period'' by Jamil M. Abun-Nasr p.155''ff''
/ref> That year, the Wattassid ruler of Morocco

Sultan Ahmad Sultan Ahmed Mirza was the eldest son of Abu Sa'id Mirza on whose death he became the Timurid ruler of Samarkand and Bukhara from 1469 until 1494. During his rule, he successfully repelled at least one invasion attempt by the Kara Koyunlu, and f ...

was taken prisoner by his rivals, the sharifian Saadians. His successor,

Ali Abu Hassun Ali Abu Hassun (), also Abu al Hasan Abu Hasun or Abu Hasun, full name Abu al-Hasan Abu Hasun Ali ibn Muhammad (died September 1554), was a Regent of the Crown of Morocco for the Wattasid dynasty, during the 16th century. Life In 1545, he succ ...

, regent for Ahmad's young son

Nasir al-Qasiri Nasir ad-Din al-Qasri Muhammad ibn Ahmad (), also Nasir al-Qasiri, was the young son of the Sultan of Fez, Sultan Ahmad. Life In 1545, his father Sultan Ahmad was taken prisoner by his southern rivals the Saadians. His successor, Ali Abu Hassun ...

, decided to pledge allegiance to the Ottomans in order to obtain their support.

References

{{Ottoman battles

16th century in Algeria 1518 in Africa 1518 in the Ottoman Empire