Battle of Sikkak | |||||||
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Part of the French conquest of Algeria | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Kingdom of France | Emirate of Mascara | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
General Thomas-Robert Bugeaud Governor Bertrand Clauzel | Abd al-Qadir al-Jaza'iri | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Roughly a brigade-sized force ~2,000–3,000 men [1] | ~10,000 (a mix of regular soldiers and tribal warriors) [1] [2] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Less than 50 [1] | ~1,000 [1] |
The Battle of Sikkak was fought on 6 July 1836 [2] at the Sikkak river in western Algeria between French forces under General Thomas Robert Bugeaud,and a coalition of Algerian tribes of western Algeria under Emir Abd al-Qadir, who had in the previous year defeated the French at the Battle of Macta.
The result was a French victory, [2] this accomplished French aims of weakening Abd al-Qadirs state to force a peace. Treaty of Tafna was latter negotiated between the two commanders of this battle.
France used the peace brought about by the victory to concentrate their limited forces against the Beylik of Constantine, winning the 1837 Siege of Constantine. [2] [3]
The battle represents the last large clash of forces between France and the forces of Abd al-Qadir, though with intermittent peace agreements he would continue to wage a low intensity conflict against French rule until his surrender in 1847. [1]
Thomas Robert Bugeaud, marquis de la Piconnerie, duc d'Isly was a Marshal of France and Governor-General of Algeria during the French colonization. Born an aristocrat, he has a complex legacy, serving as a soldier during the Napoleonic wars, focusing on agriculture during Bourbon rule, then serving the July monarchy in Algeria during which he achieved undoubted military success, while also being complicit in actions which today may be understood as war crimes and caused outrage at the time.
French Algeria, also known as Colonial Algeria, was the period of Algerian history when the country was a colony and later an integral part of France. French rule lasted until the end of the Algerian War which resulted in Algeria gaining independence on 5 July 1962.
Abd al-Qadir ibn Muhyi al-Din, known as the Emir Abdelkader or Abd al-Qadir al-Hassani al-Jaza'iri, was an Algerian religious and military leader who led a struggle against the French colonial invasion of Algiers in the early 19th century. As an Islamic scholar and Sufi who unexpectedly found himself leading a military campaign, he built up a collection of Algerian tribesmen that for many years successfully held out against one of the most advanced armies in Europe. His consistent regard for what would now be called human rights, especially as regards his Christian opponents, drew widespread admiration, and a crucial intervention to save the Christian community of Damascus from a massacre in 1860 brought honours and awards from around the world. Within Algeria, he was able to unite many Arab and Berber tribes to resist the spread of French colonization. His efforts to unite the country against French invaders led some French authors to describe him as a "modern Jugurtha", and his ability to combine religious and political authority has led to his being acclaimed as the "Saint among the Princes, the Prince among the Saints".
Bertrand, Comte Clauzel was a French soldier who served in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. He saw service in the Low Countries, Italy, and Spain, where he achieved short periods of independent command. He became a Marshal of France under the Orléans monarchy following the July Revolution and served them twice as Governor of French possessions in Algeria during the French conquest period.
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The Treaty of Tangier was signed in Tangier on 10 September 1844, whereby the Franco-Moroccan War was ended and Morocco officially recognised Algeria as a French possession.
The Franco-Moroccan War was fought between the Kingdom of France and the Sultanate of Morocco from 6 August to 10 September 1844. The principal cause of war was the retreat of Algerian resistance leader Abd al-Kader into Morocco following French victories over many of his tribal supporters during the French conquest of Algeria and the refusal of the Sultan of Morocco Moulay Abd al-Rahman to abandon the cause of Abd al-Kader against colonial occupation.
The Treaty of Tafna was signed by both Emir Abdelkader and General Thomas Robert Bugeaud on 30 May 1837.
The French conquest of Algeria took place between 1830 and 1903. In 1827, an argument between Hussein Dey, the ruler of the Regency of Algiers, and the French consul escalated into a blockade, following which the July Monarchy of France invaded and quickly seized Algiers in 1830, and seized other coastal communities. Amid internal political strife in France, decisions were repeatedly taken to retain control of the territory, and additional military forces were brought in over the following years to quell resistance in the interior of the country.
The Battle of Macta was fought on 28 June 1835 between French forces under General Camille Alphonse Trézel and a coalition of Algerian tribes of western Algeria under Emir Abd al-Qadir, who, at the age of 26, waged one of his most famous battles against a superior force.
The Battle of Mazagran was a combat between Arab and Berber forces against French troops during the French conquest of Algeria. The small French contingent, holed up in a fortification at Mazagran, near the port city of Mostaganem, withstood several days of assault by `Abd al-Qādir 's troops. Unaware that the French defenders were running short of gunpowder, Abd al-Qādir's troops withdrew after several days of ineffectual activity.
France–Africa relations cover a period of several centuries, starting during the Middle Ages, and have been very influential to both regions. French soft power in Africa is often referred to Françafrique.
The pacification of Algeria, also known as the Algerian genocide, refers to violent military operations between 1830 to 1875 during the French conquest of Algeria, that often involved ethnic cleansing, massacres and forced displacement, aimed at repressing various tribal rebellions by the native Algerian population. Out of an estimated population of 3 million, between 500,000 and 1 million Algerians were killed. During this period, France formally annexed Algeria in 1834, and approximately 1 million European settlers moved to the Algerian colony. Various governments and scholars consider France's actions in Algeria as constituting a genocide.
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Ahmed bin Tayeb bin Salem al-Debaisi or simply Ahmed bin Salem was an Algerian Sufi, commander, and warrior mostly known for commanding the Kabyle Zwawa resistance in the Emirate of Abdelkader.
The Algerian popular resistance against French invasion refers to resistance in Algeria against the French conquest, which began with the invasion of Algiers in 1830 and lasted until 1903.
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Mustapha ibn Muhieddine, known as Emir Mustapha, Sidi Moustafa, Moustafa El Hassani El Djazairi, was an Algerian religious and military leader who led a struggle against the French colonial invasion in the mid-19th century with his brother, Emir Abdelkader.
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