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Algiers fleet raids on Spain and the Canaries (990/1582)

غارات أسطول الجزائر على إسبانيا والكناري (٩٩٠هـ/١٥٨٢م)

Barcelona

In 990/1582 the Ottoman wali of Algiers readied his fleet to fight Spain on its own soil: the mujahidun landed at Barcelona and dealt destruction, crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and struck the Canary Islands, destroying the military posts and taking their plunder — the fleet's aim, in al-Salabi's telling, went beyond merely punishing the Spaniards 1.

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Gunpowder Empires
Region
Maghreb · al-Andalus & Europe
Review
Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it

In time

1570158015901600
The Gunpowder Empires

Summary

The Algiers fleet's raids on Spanish soil and the Canaries, 990/1582 1.

The raids

The Ottoman wali of Algiers readied his fleet to fight Spain on its own soil; the mujahidun landed at Barcelona and dealt destruction, crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and struck the Canary Islands, destroying the military posts and taking their plunder 1.

Connections

Explore the connections

Occurred at
Barcelona
Had participant
Ottoman Empire

People and things also explored

Abd al-Malik al-Mu'tasim bi'llah al-Sa'di· The Ottomans: Europe's Muslim Emperors· Islam: Empire of Faith· Payitaht: Abdülhamid· Kuruluş: Osman· Barcelona· Ottoman Empire

Sources

  1. al-Dawla al-Uthmaniyya — Ali Muhammad al-Salabi (2001) , p. 271-272
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Algiers fleet raids on Spain and the Canaries (990/1582)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/ottoman-algiers-raids-iberia-990/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-23.

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Abd al-Malik al-Mu'tasim bi'llah al-Sa'di

The Sa'di sultan who had fled to the Porte; the Ottomans armed him with five thousand well-equipped fighters to take Fez from his nephew al-Mutawakkil, then sent trainers, weapons and a corps against the Portuguese invasion. His reforms: renewed shipbuilding, maritime trade, a modern army on the Ottoman model of arms and ranks, strengthened diwans and a consultative body versed in home and foreign affairs — his brother Ahmad al-Mansur his right hand. He won the awe of his age even among Europeans; the contemporary French poet Agrippa d'Aubigné called him his people's fairest, sharp of mind, versed in Spanish, Italian, Armenian and Russian, an excellent Arabic poet. At Wadi al-Makhazin he cut the enemy from his fleet, blew the bridge, and repelled the first charge sword drawn though ill — 'since when does sickness bar Muslims from jihad?' — then died in his tent, finger to his lips: conceal it until victory.