Siege of Jeddah

Siege of Jeddah
Part of Portuguese–Mamluk naval war, Ottoman–Portuguese confrontations, Ottoman–Mamluk War (1516–17)
Date 16 December 1517 Location Jeddah, Arabia and Red Sea. Result Ottoman Victory End of Portuguese fleets in the Red Sea Annexation of Jeddah by the Ottomans End of Mamluk regime.
Belligerents
Portuguese Empire	Ottoman Empire Mamluk Sultanate
Commanders and leaders
Lopo Soares de Albergaria	Selman Reis Amir Husain Al-Kurdi
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
light	light

Portuguese in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea.Light Green

The Siege of Jeddah of 1517 was a battle fought between the Portuguese Empire under Lopo Soares de Albergaria against the Ottoman Empire to capture the Red Sea main port of Jeddah defended by the Mamluk garrison led by Amir Husain Al-Kurdi (aka. Mirocem) and the Ottoman naval force led by Selman Reis. The battle occurred in 16 December 1517 which also happened to be the Hajj season of 923 AD.

Background

In 1515, the Portuguese commander, Afonso de Albuquerque established a blockade on the Red Sea, heavily affecting the Mamluk trade route with India. Alfonso planned to seize control on the long Yemeni-Hejazi shores of the Red Sea to completely cutoff the spice route thru Egypt and force European states to trade via the Portuguese new route around Africa. A Blockade on the Red Sea gates will also impact Muslim travelers to the holy cities.

On the other side, The relationship between the Ottomans and the Mamluks was not going well, both struggled for control of the spice trade. Selim I has always wanted to seize control of the Holy Land and gain the title of the Caliph from the Abbasid shadow Caliph in Cairo, Al-Mutawakkil III. The Ottoman–Mamluk War (1485–1491) was a spark to this relation to explode.

Following Ottoman Victory over the Safavid and the weakening Mamluks due to blockade and war with the Portuguese, Selim saw a great opportunity to take over the Mamluks and expand his empire in the sweeping Ottoman–Mamluk War (1516–17).

By death of Tuman bay II in April 1517, Cairo, Levant and Hejaz were mostly secured to the Ottomans. While the Mamluk Regime at it's final resistance to the end of 1517, much of the Mamluk and Arab nobility have sworn loyalty to Selim. Including Husain Al-Kurdi of Jeddah. who himself have experienced battles with the Portuguese fleet in India. As the protectors of the holy cities, The Ottomans did not want the Red Sea blockade to continue. the shortage of goods will soon starve Egypt and Hejaz.

Battle

The Portuguese bombardment began shelling the city at the Hajj season of 1517 (923 AD) where Muslim pilgrims start their journey to the holy city of Mecca. Husain managed to recruit volunteers from pilgrims. Portuguese have made several attempts to land ground force who met resistance by Jeddah's garrison. since the old wall did not have any watch tower, forces on the ground relied heavily on the fleet of Selman Reis, who has successfully repelled the Portuguese fleet completely from the Red Sea.

Aftermath

Jeddah was officially annexed to the Ottoman Empire, while the remaining of Hejaz became a Vassal state 8 years later governed by Sherif Barakat of Mecca, Husain fortified the city with a Stone wall replacing the older Clay wall, using forced labor, as a harbor of refuge from the Portuguese, allowing Arabia and the Red Sea to be protected. Parts of the city wall still survive today in the old city. Even though the Portuguese were successfully repelled from the city, fleets in the Indian Ocean were at their mercy. The Portuguese soldiers' cemetery can still be found within the old city today and is referred to as the site of the Christian Graves

See also

• History of Portugal
• Military history of Portugal
• Ottoman naval expeditions in the Indian Ocean

References

• Ibrahim Pasha and the age of Reconnaissance page 39