Moorish Forces at Tangier - Kirke's Lambs

[Hu Rhu]

I am looking for some information on the Moorish forces that opposed the British garrison of Tangier during the period 1662-1684.  Any help or pointers to useful books, web sites etc would be very useful.

[OB]

Check out the League of Augsburg blog.

[AdmiralAndy]

Hi,

I don't know how deep you are into this already or what ruleset your planning.

The short version is this is one of those known about but not much written about.

I've tentatively looked at this and for possibly helpful sources:

Mini-Wargames guide overview in Miniature Wargames 84 mostly focuses on a particular battle in 1681 and mostly on the British side rather meh to be honest imo.

However Wargames Illustrated 350 I definately recommend getting this, very good overview in a handful of pages, article is by someone whose quite passionate about that particular campaign, and it shows. Also makes reference to one of the latter seiges the Moors had Turkish allies, reads like mostly engineers and maybe artillery. But for some what if you could mix some Turkish allied units in with the Moors for a seige action.

The miniature wargames has no suggested reading list, the few WI 350 references mentioned are the Tangiers Campaign by A J Smithers, seems to be last published 2003 (in the £25-30 range where you can find a copy avaliable). The Army of Charles II by J Childs, similar price £25-30 if you can find a copy avaliable, although only 2 chapters reference Tangiers. Apparently online opensource is the - Tangier 1680: Diary of Sir James Halkett.

Additionaly I found the following, you may hear  a barrel being scraped.

There is Tangier 1662-80 The Fist Battle Honour by Various authors, although it does include the Diary of Sir James Halkett and again is mostly focused on the British.

You may infact find details to help hang an approach to modelling on the details contained in a fictional novel Tangier Book One: The King's Army by Alex Janaway. I can only assume it didn't sell very well as last I knew there was no book 2, but he has done some other stuff.

I've also seen reference to someone who games Tangiers being quite excited by the Gripping Beast Arab Box Sets, so you may find those of use.

Let us know how you get along and good luck

[NickNascati]

I just googled the topic out of curiosity.  A couple images shows the Moorish forces as looking like a cross between Napoleonic era Mamelukes for the mounted, and mostly typically generic Arab types with long robes.

[Hu Rhu]

Many thanks for the quick and useful responses. I am at the very beginning of my quest and have done some general reading mostly about the British forces. As an aside I used to serve in what was the successor to The Tangier Regiment later The Queen's Regiment. They still have a replica colour attributed to that very first regiment.

I am planning more of skirmish game, probably using something like Pikeman's Lament or perhaps a slightly larger force using Beneath the Lily Banners. I was particularly keen to understand if the Moors had access to muskets or were more reliant on bows, swords and spears and also if they were a predominantly infantry or cavalry force.  I was aware of the Turkish involvement.

Thanks very much for the helpful suggestions of publications and the League of Augsburg website.  I'll do a trawl through them and see what I can come up with.

[AdmiralAndy]

Funnily enough I was looking at using Pikemans Lament myself as well, there's suggested army list in I think the national other armies or exoctic armies addon the authors did later.

Unless I'm getting my Rampants mixed up which is always possible but one of them has a list for it.

IIRC the Moors did have some access to firearms though not neccessaryily in great numbers. Maybe more a skirmish unit or two, there maybe some ref in the army list.

Seems a lot of the records focus on the British side of things, hence why I definately recommend the WI 350, should be around at a lowish £5ish and at least gives an overview and even has an osprey image of a Ironside Cavalry having a horseback clash of Sabres with a Moor who looks like he came from Lawrence of Arabia.

Interesting to see this project progress.

[NickNascati]

This one?  If it copies!

https://64.media.tumblr.com/6799ba49ff35ab566037f5aa944e452f/tumblr_inline_nrqt435EOL1qb51b9_400.jpg

[Hu Rhu]

Admiral andy - Thanks again for the extra info.  I'll see what I can do about getting the magazine or at least the article.

This one?  If it copies!

https://64.media.tumblr.com/6799ba49ff35ab566037f5aa944e452f/tumblr_inline_nrqt435EOL1qb51b9_400.jpg

Thanks for the image. It'll help when I start assembling the forces.

[chema1986]

Hello !

If you are looking for miniatures in 28mm I'd use Barbary pirates as Moors, as well as some Ottoman renaissance troops and even some "Reconquista" medieval Andalusian Moors !

Regarding books there are a lot in Spanish language, because there were hundreds of battles between Spanish forces and Moors in that era, being the larguest of all the great siege of Ceuta (30 years besieged) in 1694, as well as smaller actions.
you have Desperta Ferro "Tercios de Africa" magazine, with some information about Moorish troops.

I made a small article this year for Barry Hilton (Warfare Miniatures) with a list of famous actions and battles between Spanish and Moorish/Algerians troops, if you are interested, I can paste it here.

Cheers!

Best regards

[Romark]

Looking forward to this project of yours Gary

[Amsivar]

You will find a scenario called "Blood and Sand" set in 1680 in A Taste for Victory from Barry Hilton, which includes some information on the forces.

For my own project I settled on a mixture of Ottomans (Dixon, Warlord, TAG and maybe Warfare later on), Arabs (Footsore) and Berber/Tuaregs (Blaze Away). Those figures still stare at me accusingly with unpainted eyes from the shelf - too many plans, too little time.

[Hu Rhu]

I made a small article this year for Barry Hilton (Warfare Miniatures) with a list of famous actions and battles between Spanish and Moorish/Algerians troops, if you are interested, I can paste it here.

Thanks for the figure suggestions and yes if you are able to post the article here that would be great.

You will find a scenario called "Blood and Sand" set in 1680 in A Taste for Victory from Barry Hilton, which includes some information on the forces.

For my own project I settled on a mixture of Ottomans (Dixon, Warlord, TAG and maybe Warfare later on), Arabs (Footsore) and Berber/Tuaregs (Blaze Away). Those figures still stare at me accusingly with unpainted eyes from the shelf - too many plans, too little time.

Thanks for info on the Hilton book.  I'll track it down. Also thanks for the figure suggestions.

I fully understand the accusing looks of those figures in the painting queue. I get that a lot. 

Looking forward to this project of yours Gary

You might have to wait a while.  It will come after the Gangsters, Wars of the Roses, Italian Wars Spanish, Trojans and of course the Indian Mutiny (oh and maybe some Stargrave too) are finished.   

[AdmiralAndy]

This one?  If it copies!

https://64.media.tumblr.com/6799ba49ff35ab566037f5aa944e452f/tumblr_inline_nrqt435EOL1qb51b9_400.jpg

Thats the one

It does reference the Osprey title with the picture in the article.

[Numpty]

Hello !

If you are looking for miniatures in 28mm I'd use Barbary pirates as Moors, as well as some Ottoman renaissance troops and even some "Reconquista" medieval Andalusian Moors !

Regarding books there are a lot in Spanish language, because there were hundreds of battles between Spanish forces and Moors in that era, being the larguest of all the great siege of Ceuta (30 years besieged) in 1694, as well as smaller actions.
you have Desperta Ferro "Tercios de Africa" magazine, with some information about Moorish troops.

I made a small article this year for Barry Hilton (Warfare Miniatures) with a list of famous actions and battles between Spanish and Moorish/Algerians troops, if you are interested, I can paste it here.

Cheers!

Best regards

Yes Please!

[chema1986]

I again guys, here you have the notes I took from several books and magazines dealing with military actions in North Africa in late XVII c.

 From 1660 onwards, Spanish “presidios” and cities were put under great pressure from Moroccans, Algerians and even Ottoman Janissaries etc. Specially after Mulay Ismail came to power, the attacks were stronger,
.
 British Tangiers, despite holding for several years, finally fell into muslim hands, Spain send reinforcements some times, I think cavalry of Duke of Osuna. 

Talking about battles, there were HUNDREDS of little encounters, perfect for For wargaming skirmishes or sieges.

I have not found if Casablanca and Mazagan,  both Portuguese towns in Atlantic Morocco were attacked during this period, but Spanish had in those days at least 8 towns/fortresses and all of them were besieged, and 2 of them; Larache and La Mamora, finally surrendered after a gallant or even heroic defense.  

Ceuta was besieged from 1694 until 1727, the longest siege in history, longer than Candia in Crete. 

the number of troops that garrisoned the different places from 1640-1695 varied from 4000 to 9000.

Some examples of military actions;

Melilla suffered an assault of 2000 Moors in 1667 that took fort Santo Tomas outside the city, in the following years thousands of Moors attacked the city, taking a couple of redoubts (San Lorenzo and San Francisco) only in 1679, after strong reinforcements from Spain, all the attacks were repelled and the forts retaken.
In 1687 , 8000 Algerians blocked the city during 50 days but had to lift the siege later.

In La Mamora, from 1677 until its lost in 1681, 10.000 Moors attacked the city, defended by a few hundreds of regular troops.

Larache was constantly blockaded from 1677 and repelled two assaults in 1686 and 1687 which caused high casualities to the besiegers.

Oran from 1675 suffered several assaults. There was an ambush laid by the Algerians that massacred the cavalry garrison of Oran. Despite that defeat, the garrison made several sorties that defeated the attackers in 1684,85 and 87...
In 1687, Diego Bracamonte, capitan general of the city died with 750 of his men (40% of the theoric garrison) in an imprudent action outside the walls, so the Dey of Argel, reinforced with Ottoman Janissaries  and Barbary pirates launched a great attack in 1689, but they were repelled with high casualities, the same fate suffered the Moors who besieged Oran again in 1692.

In 1689 Mulay Ismail attacked simultaneously Larache and Melilla, the first was conquered after being attacked by a horde of 10.000-24.000 Moors. Melilla was saved by oportune reinforcements from the Iberian Peninsula who defeated the Moroccans.

The siege of Ceuta by Mulay Ismail is very famous, You will be able to find a lot of information on the web (not like the actions I am writing here )

Despite the decadence of the Habsburg Spanish Monarchy in those hard years of 1670-1709, Spain was able to mobilise enough money, food, men and ships to hold most of his North African possessions. Each year Spain maintained 4500 men there, with peaks of 10.000 when the attacks intensified in 1677 or more than 8000 in 1694 ( Remember Spain was in demographic and economic crisis in late XVII c and in continuous war with France, maintaing standing armies and garrisons in America, Catalonia, Flanders and italy, so Africa was a continuous focus of spending of resources).

Just an example of the artillery. Larache had 113 guns in 1689 and Oran 94 in 1688.

Larache caused several thousands of dead to the attackers, and only fell because Melilla was besieged at the same time and was strategically much more important.


I hope you find useful this information !

Cheers