Like the Borj Nord, the fort was built in 1582 by the powerful Saadian sultan Ahmad al-Mansour. The Saadians, whose capital was Marrakesh, had faced notable resistance to their rule in Fez and the fort is one of several that they built around the city. They were intended to keep the restless population of Fes el-Bali (the old city) under control as much as to actually defend the city from external attacks. Accordingly, the forts were built in commanding positions overlooking the city, from which their canons could easily bombard the city if desired. The Saadians built Borj Nord, Borj Sud, and three bastions along the south and east walls of Fes el-Jdid to emulate Portuguese military architecture; a consequence of their wars to oust the Portuguese from Morocco. Their construction was probably helped by the labour and expertise of European prisoners captured in the famous Battle of the Three Kings in 1578. These are the first and arguably only fortresses in Fez designed for the new age of gunpowder.