Chapter 1126: A Trivial War
Est suddenly thought of something. "Wait, the Ouazzane tribe has fewer than eight hundred warriors. They don't need this many rifles at all."
Lord Elliott shook his head. "Plunder? No, you've misunderstood. We are going to support the Ouazzane in taking control of the entire northern region of Morocco."
"Ah?" the young diplomat exclaimed in surprise. "But didn't you say before that the goal was to raid Melilla..."
"Yes, raiding Melilla, but that is the task for the Rif tribe."
Melilla was a Spanish territory in northeastern Morocco. Although poorly situated and quite barren, it served as a vital support point for the fortress of Ceuta.
Ceuta was located on the southern shore of the Strait of Gibraltar, facing Gibraltar across the water. It was a crucial strategic stronghold in Spanish hands.
Est's head was spinning. "And what does that have to do with the Ouazzane tribe?"
"The Rif tribe is too weak," Lord Elliott explained. "While they are desperate enough to raid Spanish towns, they are by no means a match for the Spanish army."
"Therefore, I have instructed them to raid Melilla under the name of the Ouazzane tribe."
"And why would the Ouazzane pay reparations for something they didn't do?"
"With a bit of covert maneuvering on our part, the Spaniards will soon launch an offensive against the Ouazzane tribe."
"When that time comes, you will understand the vital role these three thousand flintlock muskets will play."
Est wiped the sweat from his palms and offered a warning. "My Lord, doing this is very likely to provoke the Moroccan Sultan."
"He will probably be unhappy, but that is all," Lord Elliott said with a smug grin. "In fact, he might even be forced to support the Ouazzane tribe."
As a diplomat who had been stationed in Morocco for a long time, Est instantly grasped the envoy's meaning.
Morocco had always claimed that the Spanish occupation of Ceuta and Melilla was illegal. In 1720 and 1774, they had twice mobilized tens of thousands of troops in an attempt to reclaim these two locations, only to be repulsed by the Spaniards.
Now, with the Ouazzane tribe aiming to "drive out the Spaniards and reclaim lost territory," the Moroccan Sultan would have no choice but to begrudgingly stand by them, even if he had long since lost actual control over these northern tribes.
The following afternoon, the British envoy quickly reached an agreement with the leader of the Ouazzane tribe.
"Elliott the Merchant" would provide the Ouazzane with weapons and funding to help them unify several major tribes in the northern region. In exchange, he would receive exclusive trade monopolies in northern Morocco.
As the local power in northern Morocco, the Ouazzane tribe naturally did not want to miss such a golden opportunity.
A week later, the first shipment of weapons was transported through secret channels to Mount Bouhallel. Britain had many merchant caravans in Morocco, making it remarkably easy to smuggle goods.
Before long, the Ouazzane tribe launched an attack on the neighboring Zoumi tribe.
Meanwhile, at the Royal Palace in Madrid.
"These base, shameless savages!" Baron José Pérez-Llorca shouted, slamming his fist down. "They must be made to pay for their actions!"
The Marquis of Esquillache chimed in, "We should immediately dispatch an army to wipe out every Moroccan from Tetouan to Fez!"
Campos frowned and looked toward the Chief Minister. "Count, the French Expeditionary Force is already on standby in Seville. Should we not first concentrate our efforts on capturing Gibraltar?"
Before the Count of Floridablanca could speak, Baron Llorca cut in. "Gibraltar can be attacked at any time, but an opportunity to strike Morocco is rare."
"Furthermore, the defenses of the Gibraltar fortress are extremely formidable. It will take at least two or three years to starve out the British forces there. A war in Morocco, however, can be won in just a few months."
"We can easily launch the assault on Gibraltar after we have settled the matter in Melilla."
Unbeknownst to the others, he had recently accepted five thousand gold escudos from a "wealthy merchant involved in the shipping business in Morocco." The merchant had asked him to lobby the Spanish government to send troops to Morocco as soon as possible.
However, since Morocco was territory Spain had long coveted, no one suspected his motives.
The Count of Aranda reminded them, "Should we not first consult with France on this matter? After all, North Africa is also a region of core interest for the French."
Baron Llorca immediately countered, "Our two nations reached a tacit understanding long ago to divide our spheres of influence at the Moulouya River. Dealing with the tribes in northern Morocco will also help them control Oujda and other areas."
The Count of Floridablanca pondered for a moment before looking at Campos. "We can draw twenty-five thousand soldiers from the Talavera Legion. If it is just a matter of clearing out the tribes in northern Morocco, the war should be over in three months at most."
Indeed, more than twenty days after the attack on Melilla, the Spanish garrison had learned that the Moroccan Sultan's army was not involved. Instead, it was the work of the newly emerged Ouazzane tribe.
Although this tribe controlled a large portion of northern Morocco, their military strength amounted to four or five thousand men at best.
If they could be eliminated, Spain would gain over a hundred thousand square kilometers of land in the northern provinces, including Tangier, Tetouan, and Fez.
Moreover, since the Moroccans had been the provocateurs, the Moroccan Sultan would likely have to pay Spain a substantial sum in reparations.
At this point, even a cautious and steady minister like Campos felt that sending troops to Morocco was indeed the best choice, and he ceased his opposition.
Three days later, Carlos IV signed the document declaring war on Morocco.
The Spanish forces within Portugal, which had been in a state of combat readiness, immediately assembled and departed from the port of Lisbon. In less than a week, they landed at Melilla.
It was only then that Fari received the news of Spain's sudden military move against Morocco.
The plan to besiege Gibraltar was indeed being carried out as scheduled, but Spain had only sent three thousand soldiers. In comparison, the five thousand French troops seemed more like the main force.
What the Spaniards did not expect, however, was that they would soon suffer their first defeat in North Africa.
Initial progress was extremely smooth. The Spanish army battered the Moroccan tribes until they had no strength to fight back. Within a week, they had seized control of large areas around Tangier and Tetouan.
At the Rif Mountains.
This success caused a wave of overconfidence to spread rapidly among the Spanish soldiers. One morning, more than a thousand infantrymen rashly approached the Rif mountain range to gather oats.
Using the dense forest as cover, the Ouazzane tribe launched an ambush. They killed over four hundred men and took more than two hundred prisoners.
The Spanish commander immediately dispatched over ten thousand troops to surround and annihilate the Moroccan tribes, but they failed to find a single soul within the deathly silence of the Rif Mountains.
Meanwhile, in Florence, Italy.
A young man wearing a dark gray coat with his felt hat pulled low stood on the fence of a roadside flowerbed. Facing a dozen or so passersby gathered around him, he spoke in a low, somber voice.
"Why are people losing their jobs every day? Why can the cries of hungry children be heard everywhere? Why must creditors snatch away our homes?"
"It is all because of those damned Frenchmen!"
Comments