The Siege of Mazagan: Portuguese Fortress in Morocco

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the story of Mazagan, a Portuguese fortress-town on the Atlantic coast of Morocco that held out for over 250 years. They discuss its founding in 1514 after the disastrous Battle of Mamora, the brutal siege by the Saadian sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib in 1562, and the ingenuity of the Portuguese defenders who survived on rainwater and prayer. The episode also covers the fortress's unique architecture—a blend of European military design and North African materials—and its surprising legacy as an UNESCO World Heritage site today. Lucas explains how Mazagan was a key link in the Portuguese network of coastal fortresses, or 'fortalezas,' that stretched from Morocco to India, revealing the global reach of early colonialism. Luna asks about the daily life of the garrison, the role of women, and the eventual evacuation of Mazagan in 1769. The conversation ends with a reflection on how such small outposts shaped the course of empire. #Mazagan #PortugueseEmpire #Fortress #Morocco #Siege1562 #AbdallahalGhalib #Saadian #AlcCerQuibir #Fortaleza #UNESCO #WorldHeritage #ElJadida #Molina #PortugueseColonialism #16thCentury #NorthAfricanHistory #History #FexingoHistory #Colonialism #EuropeanImperialism Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo