Members of the Arab tribe of Beni Saad had arrived in the 12th century to settle in the Drâa Valley near Zagora. Claiming descent from the Prophet Mohammed, they were supported by the resistance movement fighting Spanish and Portuguese occupation in parts of Morocco. They retook Marrakech, which became their capital, in 1525, and Fez in 1548. After being.

driven out of Agadir in 1541, the Portuguese also abandoned the ports of Safi and Azemmour. Only El Jadida, Tangier and Ceuta remained in European hands .These crushing defeats inspired 24-year-old King Sebastian of Portugal to embark on a crusade to retake Portugal’s lost territory. He was aided in his crusade by Mohammed II Saadi, who had ruled as sultan for a brief period but had fled to Portugal after being overthrown by his uncle Abd el Malik I Saadi.

Everything was lost, however, at the battle of the Three Kings in 1578, where all three ‘kings’ – Mohammed, Sebastian and Abd el Malik – were killed.