The end of the Ottoman Regency and the limited occupation of Algeria

Though nominally part of the Ottoman Empire for 300 years, the Algiers Regency held all the characteristics of a sovereign state when the French fleet landed at Sidi Ferruch in 1830.

Clés d'honneur de la ville d'Alger
© Paris - Musée de l'Armée, Dist. RMN-GP / Christophe Chavan

A Turkish military oligarchy ruled over the Regency. It had a tight hold over Algiers, and a rather slacker one over the interior inhabited by Arab and Berber tribes. The relationship between the Regency and France was focused on privateering, the abduction and ransoming of Christian slaves, and the purchase of wheat by France, whose payment became the main focus of the dispute leading to the conquest. Officially, the Algiers expedition aimed at avenging the infamous “fly whisk incident” but a triumphant victory should – more than anything else – have restored Charles X’s prestige so as to contain the opposition at home and strengthen French influence in the Mediterranean.

Chefs arabes, anonyme
© Musée de l’image d’Epinal

Having landed on 14 June 1830, the French army relied on intelligence gathered by Captain Boutin and brought the Dey of Algiers to surrender as early as 5 July 1830. The future of the French possessions in North African arose very early on for the newly established July Monarchy: full or limited occupation? The French soon took possession of some coastal settlements but the rest of the country was out of bounds and the Army had to deal with strong opposition. To the East, Bey Ahmed put up a vigorous defence of the beylik of Constantine on behalf of the Porte until 1837 while to the West Emir Abdelkader emerged as the leader of the resistance against the Roumis (Christians) from 1832.

Young visitors’ itinerary

By way of introduction...

As you walk through the exhibition, 132 years of common history between Algeria and France will unfold in front of your eyes, starting with the Invasion of Algiers in 1830 to the Algerian Independence in 1962. During the sixteenth century, part of the Algerian territory was under Ottoman rule, a geographical area referred to as the Regency of Algiers.

The “total conquest” of Algeria

Carnets d'Orient - Jacques Ferrandez -tome 1