How a mining dispute in Morocco ignited a revolution in Spain
In 1909, a conflict between Spanish forces and Riffian tribesmen in northern Morocco escalated far beyond the borders of the Melilla enclave. What began as a struggle over mining interests and territory eventually triggered widespread insurrection and violent anti-clerical protests across mainland Spain.
The Second Melillan campaign was rooted in the shifting economic landscape of northern Morocco. Following the 1859–60 War, the city of Melilla had expanded to 12 km2, becoming a prosperous free port fueled by trade and Sephardic Jewish merchants. However, by the early 20th century, French expansion from Algeria and the occupation of Oujda in 1907 threatened this local commerce. The tension reached a breaking point when foreign mining interests, including the Compañía Española de Minas del Rif, began operating in the area following the Spanish occupation of Ras Kebdana in March 1908.
The conflict intensified after Riffian tribesmen attacked these mines on 8 August 1908. While no casualties occurred during that initial raid, the subsequent instability led to a retaliatory Spanish offensive. By July 1909, after the deaths of several railway workers, Prime Minister Antonio Maura significantly increased the Spanish garrison from 5,000 to 22,000 men. These forces were largely composed of poorly trained conscripts who lacked basic maps and professional equipment, making them vulnerable to the local terrain and guerrilla tactics.
The campaign was marked by devastating Spanish defeats, such as the ambush in Alfer Canyon, where Colonel Álvarez Cabrera and 26 men were killed, and the disaster at Wolf Ravine, where an ambush on a brigade of jägers led to roughly 150 deaths and 600 wounded. These military setbacks, combined with the heavy-handed impressment of men in mainland Spain, sparked the 'Tragic Week' in cities like Barcelona. The resulting anti-clerical violence and social unrest were so severe that the Maura government was forced to suspend constitutional guarantees across the country in late July 1909.
Source: Second Melillan campaign
