[3] In 1703, the new governor of Oran, Don Carlos Carraja raided the Algerian Beni Ameur tribes.

[5] Heading the army was the bey Mustapha ben Youssouf, better known by the Epithet Bouchelaghem or Bigotillos meaning man with a moustache.the ruler of Mazuna.

On November 1, 1707, Ouzoum Hassan, a commander from Algiers sent his army to take the fort of Saint-Philippe, thus officially beginning the siege.

The bey took control of the heights of Aïdour, from where he bombarded the Spanish, effectively destroying their defences.

Despite heavy fighting, the Algerians captured the city on April 4, and took 2000 captives, among them French officers and Maltese volunteers.