Bombardment of Algiers (1688) explained

Conflict:Bombardment of Algiers (1688)
Partof:French-Algerian War 1681-88
Date:June–July 1688
Place:Algiers
Result:Algerian victory
  • French retreat
  • French ambition stopped[1]
  • Algiers heavily damaged
Combatant1: France
Combatant2: Algiers
Commander1: Jean II d'Estrées
Commander2:Mezzo Morto Hüseyin Pasha
Units1:31 warships
10 bomb galiots
Units2:Unknown

The bombardment of Algiers in 1688 was a military expedition ordered by Louis XIV against the Regency of Algiers in order to enforce the peace treaty of 1683 which had been violated by Algerian pirates. The squadron, comprising 31 ships and 10 bomb galiots, was commanded by Jean II d'Estrées.[2] [3] [4]

D'Estrées' squadron arrived at Algiers on 26 June. It succeeded in inflicting serious damage on the city, but its artillery defences had been strengthened since the previous French expeditions in 1682 and 1683. As a result, the French fleet lost several ships and was obliged to retire after 16 days, without being able to enforce the peace treaty.[5]

Aftermath

The power of the Dey of Algiers, Mezzo Morto Hüseyin Pasha was destabilised by the French assault, and in the end he fled the city in the face of public discontent. His successor Hadj Chabane appointed an ambassador to Versailles, Mohamed el Amin, to negotiate a lasting peace, which was concluded in 1690.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Book: "Die heutigen christlichen Souverainen von Europa.". Ferdinand Ludwig Von Bressler Und Aschenburg. 1722.
  2. Book: Kaddache, Mahfoud . 1982 . L'Algérie des Algériens . Algiers . Société nationale d'édition et de diffusion . 417 . 978-9-961-96621-1.
  3. Book: Geoffrey Symcox. The Crisis of French Sea Power, 1688–1697: From the Guerre d'Escadre to the Guerre de Course. 6 December 2012. Springer Science & Business Media. 978-94-010-2072-5. 74.
  4. Book: Gaïd, Mouloud . L'Algérie sous les Turcs. 1975. Maison tunisienne de l'édition. 148. 22 April 2018.
  5. Book: Geoffrey Symcox. The Crisis of French Sea Power, 1688–1697 From the Guerre d'Escadre to the Guerre de Course. 2012. Springer Science & Business Media . 978-94-010-2072-5. 74.
  6. Book: Jörg Manfred Mössner. Die Völkerrechtspersönlichkeit und die Völkerrechtspraxis der Barbareskenstaaten: (Algier, Tripolis, Tunis 1518-1830). 10 October 2013. De Gruyter. 978-3-11-169567-9. 15.