Dutch expedition to Algiers (1624)

Last updated
Expedition to Algiers (1624)
Kapitein Lambart met 6 schepen uit Holland na Algiers gesonden - Dutch captain Lambert throws prisoners into the sea before Algiers (Jan Luyken, 1684).jpg
Lambert in front of the city of Algiers hanging Algerian pirates
Date1624
Location
Result

Dutch victory

  • All Dutch slaves freed, captured vessels, and all other goods returned
Belligerents
Statenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Algiers.jpg Deylik of Algiers
Commanders and leaders
Statenvlag.svg Mooy Lambert Flag of Algiers.jpg Kader Pasha
Flag of Algiers.jpg Divan at that time
Strength
6 Vessels [1] unknown
Casualties and losses
unknown Several hundreds hanged, or thrown into the sea to drown [2]

In 1622, the Dutch Republic and The Regency of Algiers concluded a peace treaty. The Algerians failed to respect the treaty. Following this the Dutch set out a punitive expedition to punish the Algerians.

Contents

Background

Between 1613-1622 Algerian Barbary pirates were very active around the Mediterranean Sea. They attacked numerous Dutch ships, which annoyed both the States General, and all of the Dutch merchants, who were getting rich in the Dutch Golden Age. After a twelve year long truce between the Dutch and the Spanish. The Dutch sought to form alliances with numerous North Africa countries against Spain. When they had finally concluded a peace treaty in 1622 after the Dutch–Barbary war. The Algerians did not respect the treaty, and kept attacking Dutch ships, and the Dutch were frustrated with the Algerian barbary pirates. [3] So the Dutch admiral Mooy Lambert got instructions from the States General to launch a punitive expedition against the Algerians. [4]

Expedition

Admiral Lambert soon arrived at the mouth of the Algerian harbor with a great number of Algerian corsairs which he captured, and beat up along his way. He anchored his squadron in the harbor and sent word to the pasha that he demanded the immediate release of all Dutch slaves and all of the captured vessels, cargo, and goods. Lambert threatened that if the pasha did not do as he said, the admiral would hang all of the Algerian officers and crewman he had captured. The pasha refused, believing that Lambert was bluffing. Lambert then hanged every Algerian captive on his ship, and drowned the rest that did not fit on his ships to hang, and then turned his squadron around and sailed back into the sea with dead Algerian captives on top of his ship. This horrified the Algerian populace and the pasha. The city convulsed with wailing crowds and tumultuous clamor at the gates of the pasha's palace. There was no time for the pasha and his officers to fully consider the implications of the event, as they soon beheld the return of Lambert's squadron with a fresh collection of captured corsairs and their crews. Lambert again anchored in the harbor and repeated his demands with the same threat if they were not met. The pasha then immediately released every Dutch captive and restored the Dutch properties. However Lambert did not return those captured Algerians. He took them home to the Dutch Republic, and it is unknown what he did with them there. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Barbary War</span> War between United States and the Barbary states, 1801–1805

The First Barbary War (1801–1805), also known as the Tripolitan War and the Barbary Coast War, was a conflict during the 1801–1815 Barbary Wars, in which the United States and Sweden fought against Ottoman Tripolitania. Tripolitania had declared war against Sweden and the United States over disputes regarding tributary payments made by both states in exchange for a cessation of Tripolitanian commerce raiding at sea. United States President Thomas Jefferson refused to pay this tribute. Sweden had been at war with the Tripolitans since 1800. The First Barbary War was the first major American war fought outside the New World, and in the Arab world, besides the smaller American–Algerian War (1785–1795).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbary Wars</span> Wars in coastal North Africa, 1801, 1815

The Barbary Wars were a series of two wars fought by the United States, Sweden, and the Kingdom of Sicily against the Barbary states and Morocco of North Africa in the early 19th century. Sweden had been at war with the Tripolitans since 1800 and was joined by the newly independent US. The First Barbary War extended from 10 May 1801 to 10 June 1805, with the Second Barbary War lasting only three days, ending on 19 June 1815. The Barbary Wars were the first major American war fought entirely outside the New World, and in the Arab World.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Barbary War</span> 1815 war between Algiers and the USA

The Second Barbary War, also known as the U.S.–Algerian War and the Algerine War, was a brief military conflict between the United States and the North African state of Algiers in 1815.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbary pirates</span> Pirates based in North Africa

The Barbary pirates, Barbary corsairs, Ottoman corsairs, or naval mujahideen were mainly Muslim pirates and privateers who operated from the largely independent Barbary states. This area was known in Europe as the Barbary Coast, in reference to the Berbers. Slaves in Barbary could be of many ethnicities, and of many different religions, such as Christian, Jewish, or Muslim. Their predation extended throughout the Mediterranean, south along West Africa's Atlantic seaboard and into the North Atlantic as far north as Iceland, but they primarily operated in the western Mediterranean. In addition to seizing merchant ships, they engaged in razzias, raids on European coastal towns and villages, mainly in Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal, but also in the British Isles, and Iceland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Occhiali</span> Italian-born Ottoman privateer and admiral (1519–1587)

Occhiali was an Italian privateer and admiral who served as the commander of the Regency of Algiers and Grand Admiral of the Ottoman fleet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bombardment of Algiers (1816)</span> 1816 anti-slavery conflict

The Bombardment of Algiers was an attempt on 27 August 1816 by Britain and the Netherlands to end the slavery practices of Omar Agha, the Dey of Algiers. An Anglo-Dutch fleet under the command of Admiral Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth bombarded ships and the harbour defences of Algiers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Action of 3 October 1624</span> Naval engagement that took place near San Pietro Island, Sardinia

The action of 3 October 1624 was a naval engagement that took place near San Pietro Island, Sardinia, during the war against the Barbary corsairs. A squadron of galleys from the Spain, Grand Duchy of Tuscany and Papal States under Diego Pimentel engaged a squadron of six Algerian ships under Azan Calafate. The Algerians were defeated, their flagship was destroyed, and four ships were captured. Also, the Christian slaves they owned were freed.

Lambert Hendriksz was a Dutch vice admiral. He is usually referred to by his nickname, Mooy Lambert. Lambert served under Willem de Zoete and Jacob van Heemskerk, and was present as a rear admiral at the battle of Gibraltar. Lambert was active against the Dunkirk corsairs and in 1605 managed to defeat and capture the Dunkirk admiral Adriaan Dirksen.

Jan Janszoon van Haarlem, commonly known as Reis Mourad the Younger, was a Dutch pirate who later became a Barbary corsair in Ottoman Algeria and the Republic of Salé. After being captured by Algerian corsairs off Lanzarote in 1618, he converted to Islam and changed his name to Mourad. He became one of the most famous of the 17th-century Barbary corsairs. Together with other corsairs, he helped establish the independent Republic of Salé at the city of that name, serving as the first President and Commander. He also served as Governor of Oualidia.

This timeline of the history of piracy in the 1640s is a chronological list of key events involving pirates between 1640 and 1649.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbary slave trade</span> Slave markets in North Africa

The Barbary slave trade involved the capture and selling of European slaves at slave markets in the largely independent Ottoman Barbary states. European slaves were captured by Barbary pirates in slave raids on ships and by raids on coastal towns from Italy to Ireland, and the southwest of Britain, as far north as Iceland and into the Eastern Mediterranean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zymen Danseker</span> Dutch privateer and corsair

Siemen Danziger, better known by his anglicized names Zymen Danseker and Simon de Danser, was a 17th-century Dutch privateer and Barbary corsair based in Ottoman Algeria. His name is also written Danziker, Dansker, Dansa or Danser.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raïs Hamidou</span> Algerian corsair (c.1770–1815)

Hamidou ben Ali, known as Raïs Hamidou, or Amidon in American literature, born around 1770, and died on June 17, 1815, near Cape Gata off the coast of southern Spain, was an Algerian corsair. He captured up to 200 ships during his career. Hamidou ensured the prosperity of the Deylik of Algiers, and gave it its last glory before the French invasion. His biography is relatively well known because the French archivist Albert Devoulx found documents that told of this charismatic character.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ottoman Tunisia</span> Semi-autonomous state affiliated with the Ottoman Empire

Ottoman Tunisia, also known as the Regency of Tunis, refers to the Ottoman presence in Ifriqiya from the 16th to 19th centuries, when Tunis was officially integrated into the Ottoman Empire as the Eyalet of Tunis. The Ottoman presence in the Maghreb began with the takeover of Algiers in 1516 by the Ottoman Turkish corsair and beylerbey Aruj, eventually expanding across the entire region except for Morocco. The first Ottoman conquest of Tunis occurred in 1534 under the command of Khayr al-Din Barbarossa, the younger brother of Aruj, who was the Kapudan Pasha of the Ottoman Fleet during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. However, it was not until the final Ottoman reconquest of Tunis from Spain in 1574 that the Turks permanently acquired the former territories of Hafsid Tunisia, retaining it until the French occupation of Tunisia in 1881.

The Battle of Cape Palos was a naval engagement that took place between 9 and 10 June 1758, during the Spanish-Barbary Wars. A Spanish squadron of three warships intercepted an Algerian squadron of two warships escorting a prize ship. After a prolonged fight, the Algiers flagship surrendered. His consort eluded the battle, but wrecked and the prize ship escaped. Algiers flagship sank from the damage, but there were several prisoners and Christian slaves released.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franco–Algerian war (1681–1688)</span>

The French-Algerian War of 1681–1688 was part of a wider campaign by France against the Barbary Pirates in the 1680s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English expedition to Algiers (1620–1621)</span> 1620–1621 military expedition

The English expedition to Algiers occurred between 1620 and 1621, it was a naval attack ordered by King James with the goal of ending Muslim piracy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corsairs of Algiers</span> 1516–1830 unit of the Algerine army

The ta'ifa of raïs or the Raïs for short, were Barbary pirates based in Ottoman Algeria who were involved in piracy and the slave trade in the Mediterranean Sea from the 16th to the 19th century. They were an ethnically mixed group of seafarers, including mostly "renegades" from European provinces of the Mediterranean and the North Sea, along with a minority of Turks and Moors. Such crews were experienced in naval combat, making Algiers a formidable pirate base. Its activity was directed against the Spanish empire, but it did not neglect the coasts of Sicily, Sardinia, Naples or Provence. It was the taifa which, through its seizures, maintained the prosperity of Algiers and its finances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dutch–Barbary war</span>

The Dutch–Barbary war, also referred to as the Dutch–Algerian war (1618–1622), was a conflict that originated from the activities of Barbary pirates targeting Dutch vessels. In response to these attacks, the Dutch launched several expeditions aimed at putting an end to the attacks on Dutch vessels and safeguarding their ships. Ultimately, these efforts proved successful as both nations recognized the significance of peace in maintaining a prosperous economy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Regency of Algiers</span>

The history of the Regency of Algiers includes political, economic and military events in the Regency of Algiers from its founding in 1516 to the French invasion of 1830. The Regency of Algiers was a largely independent tributary state of the Ottoman Empire. Founded by the corsair brothers Aruj and Khayr ad-Din Barbarossa, it became involved in numerous armed conflicts with European powers, and was an important pirate base notorious for Barbary corsairs.

References

  1. Murray, John; Playfair, R. L. (1878). Handbook for Travellers in Algeria and Tunis, Algiers, Oran, Constantine, Carthage, &c. p. 42.
  2. Wheelan, Joseph (2004). Jefferson's War America's First War on Terror 1801-1805 (E-book ed.). PublicAffairs. ISBN   9780786740208.
  3. Jamieson, Alan G (2013). Lords of the Sea A History of the Barbary Corsairs (E-book ed.). Reaktion books. p. 95. ISBN   9781861899460.
  4. Schokkenbroek, Joost. "Lambert Hendricksz en zijn jihad tegen de Barbarijse zeerovers" (in Dutch). University of Leiden. pp. 10–11.
  5. Vanvugt, Ewald. Zwartboek van Nederland overzee: wat iedere Nederlander moet weten (in Dutch). p. 75.