Siege of Taif (1814)

Siege of Taif (1814)
Part of the Wahhabi War
Date June 1814 Location Taif, Saudi Arabia Result Ottoman Victory
Belligerents
Ottoman Empire	Emirate of Diriyah Zahran tribe
Commanders and leaders
Tusun Pasha Abidin Bey Muhammad Ali Pasha	Bakhrosh ibn A'llas Tami bin Shu'aib
Strength
20 cavalry	10,000 men
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

In 1814, the Saudis laid siege to the Ottoman-held city of Taif, but the Ottoman governor of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha, successfully forced them to raise the siege using a trick.

Prelude[edit]

In 1814, the Ottomans prepared an expedition in the month of Shawwal with a force of 20,000 recruited from Mecca and Taif led by Abidin Bey against the Zahran tribes in Al Bahah. The Ottomans encountered no resistance during their march and finally arrived to besiege a fort in Al Bahah, where Zahran commander Bakhrosh ibn A'llas led them. When the Saudis heard of the Ottoman expedition, they marched with 10,000 Saudis to relieve the fort, led by Tami bin Shu'aib. They engaged the Ottoman forces near the fortress, and the Saudis scored a victory against their enemy. The Ottomans lost 1,000 men in the battle and retreated to Taif.^[1][2]

Siege[edit]

The Ottoman garrison was led by Tusun Pasha, and the Saudis besieged the city, led by Tami bin Shu'aib and Bakhrosh ibn A'llas. Muhammad Ali Pasha heard the situation in Taif and marched with a force of 20 cavalry there. Muhammad Ali then looked upon the besieged city from a mountain. His men captured a Saudi and asked him about the Saudi army. He then offered the prisoner freedom in exchange for sending a letter to Bakhrush to fool the enemies of an upcoming large Ottoman relief army. This trick successfully worked, and the siege was lifted from Taif, Muhammad Ali and his son returned to Mecca in June.^[3]

References[edit]