After the Spanish installed a vassal king at Tlemcen, they managed to block the land route from Oran to the Ottomans; however, the sea route was left exposed, and to seize it, the Spanish had to seize Mostaganem.

Count Alcaudete began preparations for a new campaign against Mostaganem after a few days of rest.

The count's fourth son, Martin, and Melchor de Villarroel led the vanguard.

The Count changed his route and went to the plateau; however, they saw a large army of Algerians under Al-Mansour ben Bogani and Hamida El-Aouda'.

[8][9] The Spanish found themselves surrounded by a large number of Algerian infantry alongside the Ottoman galleys.