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Expedition to Mostaganem (1558)

Expedition of Mostaganem
Part of the Ottoman-Habsburg wars
Date August–September 1558
Location Mostaganem, Algeria
Result Decisive Ottoman victory
Belligerents
 Spain
 Morocco
 Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Spain Count Alcaudete 
Morocco Abdallah al-Ghalib, Caïd of Tlemcen
Ottoman Empire Hasan Pasha
Strength
12,000+ soldiers 15,000 Ottomans
Casualties and losses
12.000 prisoners, Unknown Killed Unknown
Expedition of Mostaganem is located in Algeria
Expedition of Mostaganem
Expedition of Mostaganem
Location of the Expedition of Mostaganem in Algeria.

The Expedition of Mostaganem occurred in 1558, when Spanish forces attempted to capture the city of Mostaganem, in modern Algeria, from the Ottomans. The expedition was supposed to be a decisive step in the conquest of the Ottoman base of Algiers, but it ended in failure, and has been called a "disaster".

The harbour of Mostaganem had been captured by the Spanish from the Muslims in 1506. The harbour became part of numerous Spanish possessions on the North African coast, which had been captured since 1496: Melilla (1496), Mers-el-Kebir (1505), Oran (1509), Bougie (1510), Tripoli (1510), Algiers, Shershell, Dellys, Tenes.

In 1516, Mostaganem was seized by Hayreddin Barbarossa from his base of Algiers. He then strengthened its defences, and the city became a rival of Oran. From 1519, Barbarossa placed himself under the protection of the Ottomans, thereby transforming Mostaganem into an Ottoman dominion.

Previous Spanish expeditions had taken place in 1543 and 1547, which failed as the Spanish forces were repulsed and then pursued in retreat by Turkish and tribal forces.

The expedition of 1558 to retake Mostaganem from the Ottomans followed a string of Ottoman successes in the Mediterranean, especially with the Siege of Tripoli in 1551, and the evacuation of Al-Mahdiyeh by the Spaniards. Concurrently, the corsairs of Barbary were operating from their base in Algiers.

In 1556, the Ottomans of Algiers had besieged Oran, although unsuccessfully, while in the meantime the Moroccans seized the opportunity to capture Tlemcen from the Turks. In 1557, the Ottomans demanded the submission of Morocco to the Ottoman Empire, but murdered the Moroccan ruler Mohammed ash-Sheikh, who was collaborating with Spain, when he refused.


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