The Hispano-Moroccan War, also known as the Spanish–Moroccan War, the First Moroccan War, the Tétouan War, or, in Spain, as the War of Africa, was fought from Spain's declaration of war on Morocco on 22 October 1859 until the Treaty of Wad-Ras on 26 April 1860. It began with a conflict over the borders of the Spanish city of Ceuta and was fought in northern Morocco. Morocco sued for peace after the Spanish victory at the Battle of Tétouan. Background Throughout the 19th century, Morocco suffered military defeats at the hands of Europeans powers, notably in the Franco-Moroccan War in 1844. In 1856 the Moroccan government signed the Anglo-Moroccan Treaty with the British which set the Moroccan customs duty at 10% and brought an end to royal monopolies. Since 1840, the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla often experienced Riffian harka (tribal war-party) raids, especially in the years 1844, 1845, and 1848. War The casus belli for Spain were the unrelenting attacks of Riffian harkas on Spanish settlements in North Africa; following unfruitful negotiations with Sultan Abderahmane vis-à-vis the reparations (the latter, unable to control the Riffian kabyles, actually died in the midst of negotiations and was replaced by his brother Mohamed IV), a declaration of war propelled by Leopoldo O'Donnell was unanimously passed by the Congress of Deputies on 22 October 1859. The expeditionary army that left Algeciras was made up of about 45,000 men, 3,000 mules and horses, and 78 pieces of artillery, supported by a war squad made up of a ship of the line; two propeller and one sail frigates, two corvettes, four schooners , eleven wheeled steamers and three feluccas, in addition to nine steamers and three Feluccas that acted as troop transports. The objectives set were the taking of Tetouan and the occupation of the port of Tangier. On December 17, hostilities were unleashed by the column commanded by Zabala that occupied the Sierra de Bullones. Two days later, Echagüe conquered the Serrallo Palace and O'Donnell led the force that landed in Ceuta on the 21st. On the 25th, the three army corps had consolidated their positions and were awaiting the order to advance towards Tetouan. On January 1, 1860, General Prim stormed to the mouth of Uad el-Jelú with the flank support of General Zabala and that of the fleet that kept the enemy forces away from the coast. The skirmishes continued until