Abu Abdullah VI

Emir of Tlemcen Abu Mu II died in 1540 and left two children, Abu Abdullah Muhammad and Abu Zayyan Ahmad . The eldest of them was declared emir under the name of Abu Abdullah VI, but he was not supported by supporters of the Ottoman Sultan - the Marabuts and various sheikhs overthrew Abu Abdullah in a short time and replaced him with Abu Zayyan III. The ousted emir fled to Oran , where he was greeted by the Spanish governor Martin Alonso Fernandez de Cordoba, Count Alcaudete, who promised him to restore him to the throne in exchange for renewing the vassal oath of Spain.

Emperor Charles V agreed to an operation to restore Abu Abdullah. A thousand soldiers of the garrison and 400 Arabs were sent to Tlemcen under the command of Alfonso de Martinez (January 1543 ); Abu Abdullah VI assured the Spaniards that many would join him along the way, but this did not happen. The weak army of Abu Abdullah clashed with the army of Tlemcen, ten times its number. In the ensuing battle, all Spaniards were killed, the few who were able to escape brought news of the defeat to Oran (January 1543 ). When Charles V learned of the defeat, he decided to send another army, which acted immediately and two days later arrived in Oran. On January 27, Cordoba himself left the city, led by 14,000 soldiers and 500 horsemen. He crossed the Isser River and approached Tlemcen. In the ensuing three-hour battle, the Spaniards knocked over the enemy and kept the battlefield covered with corpses. Abu Zayyan III fled the city and retreated to the Angad desert. The Spaniards promised to respect the life and property of the inhabitants and were able to enter Tlemcen, but the soldiers disobeyed the orders of the commanders and committed robberies and killings. Abu Abdullah VI was restored to the throne. After 40 days of rest, the Spanish troops went against Abu Zayyan III, whom they found near Mului and finally defeated, although the prince was able to escape.

Abu Zayyan III became the banner of the struggle with his brother, the puppet of the Spaniards. This allowed him to quickly gather thousands of new supporters in the western provinces. He soon advanced to Tlemcen with an army and besieged the city, but Abu Abdullah VI, at the head of the army, made a sortie and defeated his brother's army. He even chased Abu Zayyan, but when he returned to the city, the gates were closed (December 1543 ). During his absence, the nobility made a coup, and Abu Abdullah VI, who was left without supporters, was forced to leave for Oran, and Abu Zayyan III was invited to Tlemcen and crowned (January 1544 ),

The date of death of Abu Abdullah is unknown.

• Histoire des Beni Zeiyan pel xeic Mohammed Abd'al-Djalil al-Tenesy, traducció de l'abat Bargès