The beginning of the 15th century was marked by a period of intense activity in all areas of Europe: navigation, trade, and Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press. The consequences of this renaissance were manifold. In the religious sphere, the Bible was translated from Latin and then widely distributed thanks to printing. Access to the text led to the emergence of interpretations that challenged the Church’s interpretation and authority. In the artistic sphere, Europe rediscovered the works of art and aesthetic theories of the Greeks, which gave prominence to the celebration of the human body. Finally, in the economic sphere, the taste for pleasure and the wealth it afforded was rediscovered.
The Portuguese were the first to venture south to gain direct access to the spices. Tangier was coveted by the Portuguese as early as 1437. An expedition failed against Abu Zakaria of the Beni Wattas dynasty. Prince Fernando was taken hostage in exchange for the return of Ceuta.
In 1458, King Afonso V of Portugal captured Ksar El Seghir. Until 1646, three attempts by Afonso V’s forces to take Tangier failed, but on August 29, 1471, the city fell to the Portuguese without resistance.
In fact, the city had been ceded to the Portuguese by Mohammed Ech-Cheikh as part of a truce concluded after the fall of Asilah. Seven years later (August 4, 1578), the famous Battle of the Three Kings took place at Oued El Makhazine. El Motawakkil, Abd El Malik and Dom Sebastian met their deaths there.
Portugal fell under Spanish rule in 1581. Tangier thus became Spanish under the reign of Philip II for six decades. In 1644, Portugal regained its independence, and in 1643, Tangier reverted to Portuguese control after a minor palace coup. Fortifications stretching over 2 kilometers were built, along with a cathedral, churches, a hospital, and some residences. Meanwhile, the Moroccans had not given up on retaking the city. Four times, in 1651, 1653, 1654, and 1657, Rais Ghailan besieged Tangier and occupied the hinterland.
