Capture of Béjaïa (1555)

The Capture of Béjaïa in 1555 was an Ottoman military action aimed at seizing control of the city of Béjaïa (Bougie) in modern-day Algeria from Spanish control. Béjaïa, strategically important due to its port location on the Barbary Coast, had been under Spanish rule since its capture in 1510.

The Ottoman forces, led by Salah Rais, Beylerbey of Algiers, launched a siege of Béjaïa. Details regarding the precise size of the Ottoman force and the duration of the siege are often conflicting or lacking in specific historical records. The Spanish garrison defending the city, under the command of Alonso de Peralta, put up a defense.

The siege ultimately failed. The Spanish successfully resisted the Ottoman assault, retaining control of Béjaïa. Factors contributing to the Ottoman failure may have included strong Spanish fortifications, the arrival of Spanish reinforcements, and difficulties in sustaining a prolonged siege.

The failed capture of Béjaïa in 1555 marked a significant setback for the Ottomans in their efforts to expand their influence along the North African coast. The city remained under Spanish control until its capture by the Kingdom of Kuku in 1581. This event was part of the larger Ottoman-Habsburg rivalry for control of the Mediterranean.