For the first time since ascending the Spanish throne in 2014, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia are scheduled to visit the North African city of Ceuta, according to reporting by Al Jazeera. The royal visit, which also includes a subsequent stop in Melilla, takes place following a major migration crisis at the Ceuta border in July and places renewed focus on an unresolved territorial dispute between Spain and Morocco.

According to Al Jazeera, Spain considers Ceuta and Melilla to be part of its national territory. Conversely, Morocco regards both cities, along with several smaller Spanish-held territories in North Africa, as part of its own territory and has claimed them since gaining independence in 1956.

Background

Reporting from Al Jazeera outlines the complex history of the city, which sits on the southern side of the Strait of Gibraltar and is known as Ceuta in Spanish and Sabta (commonly written as Sebta) in Arabic. Spain's Ministry of Culture identifies Sabta with present-day Ceuta, tracing its history through successive periods of Idrisid, Umayyad, Taifa, Almoravid, Almohad, and Marinid rule.

Under the Idrisid dynasty, the city was initially held by the Banu Isam before Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Rahman III took control in 931. During the 11th century, the city became linked to the Taifa of Malaga, later passing to the Almoravids and Almohads, and eventually becoming part of the Marinid sphere in the 14th century.

Portuguese forces led by King John I captured Ceuta on August 21, 1415, ending more than seven centuries of Muslim rule, which Ceuta’s cultural heritage authority dates from 709. Portugal and Spain were later ruled by the same monarchy from 1580 to 1640. When Portugal restored its independence in 1640, Ceuta remained under Spanish rule rather than returning to Portuguese control, a status formally recognized by the 1668 Treaty of Lisbon.

Why it matters

For international observers and readers following global affairs, territorial disputes involving cross-border sovereignty and historical claims highlight the complexities of post-colonial state boundaries. The ongoing disagreement between Spain and Morocco over North African coastal enclaves demonstrates how centuries of dynastic changes, treaties, and shifting geopolitical control continue to shape modern international relations and border management.