Attack on Jeddah (1541)

The Attack on Jeddah occurred in 1541 and was the last attempt by the Portuguese to capture the city.

The Portuguese had previously attempted to capture Jeddah from the Ottomans in 1517, but were defeated. In 1541, the Portuguese fleet under the command of the Portuguese governor of India Estêvão da Gama penetrated into the Red Sea with the aim of destroying the Ottoman fleet in Suez. The Portuguese destroyed several ports in their way, including Suakin. Led by Estêvão da Gama, the Portuguese attacked Jeddah and attempted to take the city   with a fleet consisting of 85 ships and landed in a port called Abu AI-Dawa'ir near Jeddah. The Ottoman garrison at that time was led by Ali Beg.

Upon hearing about the arrival of the Portuguese, Abu Numayy called for jihad in Mecca, and many answered the call. Abu Numayy led the Meccan troops to support the Ottoman garrison and expel the Portuguese. The joint Ottoman-Meccan force led by Ali Beg and Abu Numayy successfully fended off the Portuguese attack, and Jeddah was successfully defended. Abu Numayy was rewarded for his successful resistance by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, who granted him half of the fees collected at Jeddah.