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Battle of Larache (1631)
	; Larache fortress in 17th century
Date	7 February 1631
Location	Larache, Morocco
Result	Moroccan victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Spain	Republic of Salé
Commanders and leaders
Diego Ruiz de Colmenares †	Sidi M'Hamed al-Ayachi
Strength
600 men	Unknown
Casualties and losses
436 or 600 killed	Unknown

The Battle of Larache occurred on February 7, 1631, when the forces of Sidi M'hamed el-Ayachi ambushed a detachment of the Spanish garrison of Larache.

Background

On January 27, 1605, during a civil war in Morocco, the Moroccan sultan, Mohammed esh Sheikh el Mamun, was defeated by his brother, Zidan Abu Maali. Mohammed took refuge in Spain afterward. There he signed a treaty with Philip III of Spain, whereby he obtained military support in return for ceding the northern Moroccan port of Larache.^[1] At the time of the expulsion of Morsicos from Spain, Sidi al-Ayachi rose in fame, devouring himself to launch a holy war against the Christians.^[2] In April 1627, Sidi al-Ayachi revolted against the sultan and attacked the harbor of Salé, which he captured and transformed into his principality, the Republic of Salé, becoming its independent governor.^[3] al-Ayachi began attacking the Spanish areas in Morocco. In Larache, he managed to capture a spy named Ibn Aboud. Al-Ayachi ordered his execution, but Ibn Aboud begged for support in exchange for his life.^[4]

Battle

al-Ayachi then dispatched Ibn Aboud to Larache to lure the Spanish out of town. Ibn Aboud reported that a group of Arab tribes were camping on a hill close to the town, and a potential attack would result in a large amount of loot. The Spanish immediately left the town.^[5] Diego Ruiz de Colmenares^[6] led the Spanish troops of around 600 men.^[7] The troops of al-Ayachi surrounded the Spanish troops and massacred them.^[8] Diego was wounded in the battle and died later on. The Spanish troops suffered 436 casualties,^[9] or the entire force was killed.^[10] The ambush took place on February 7, 1631.^[11]

References

^ Jehanne-Marie Gandin (1970), La remise de Larache aux Espagnols en 1610, p. 72 [1]
^ Henry de Castries, p. 189
^ Kenneth R. Andrews, Ships, Money and Politics: Seafaring and Naval Enterprise in the Reign of Charles I, p. 167 [2]
^ Mohammed al-Ifrani, p. 442-443
^ Mohammed al-Ifrani, p. 442-443
^ Tomás García Figueras & Carlos Rodríguez Joulia Saint, p. 177
^ Henry de Castries, p. 195
^ Mohammed al-Ifrani, p. 443
^ Tomás García Figueras & Carlos Rodríguez Joulia Saint, p. 177
^ Henry de Castries, p. 195
^ Henry de Castries, p. 195

Sources

Henry de Castries (1911), Unpublished sources of Moroccan history. Archives and libraries of France. Volume III. [3]
Mohammed al-Ifrani, History of the Saadian dynasty in Morocco: 1511–1670.[4]
Tomás García Figueras & Carlos Rodríguez Joulia Saint-Cyr (1973), Larache: datos para su historia en el siglo XVII.[5]