Ibrahim Agha (Algeria)

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Ibrahim Agha

Agha
Native name
دالي إبراهيم
Allegiance AlgierRegency2.svg Deylik of Algiers
Service/branchAlgerine land forces
Rank Agha al-Mahalla
Battles/wars Invasion of Algiers in 1830
Spouse(s)Unnamed daughter of Hussein Dey

Ibrahim Agha, was an Algerian noble, commander of the Algerian forces during the Invasion of Algiers, [1] [2] [3] and the son-in-law of Hussein Dey. [4]

Contents

Early life

He married Hussein Dey's daughter. [5] Whether he was a native Algerian, a Turk, or a Kouloughli is also unknown.[ citation needed ] He was appointed as Agha (general) in 1828. [6]

Sidi Fredj

In 1830 France invaded Algeria after a naval blockade lasting for three years. Hussein appointed Ibrahim as the commander-in-chief of his forces, which consisted of contingents from the Beylik of Constantine, Titter, and Oran, and the Dar-as-Soltan Janissary militia. [7] He advised Hussein to let the French land in Algeria, to make sure that "not one of them would return to their homeland". Upon hearing of the French navy sighted near Sidi-Fredj, he organized the army, and attempted to defend the town. The army itself was horribly prepared, as the Dey didn't make any efforts to better his army. The battle started on June 14 and the Algerians were able to inflict 32 casualties on the French after which they retreated. The Algerians hardly sustained any casualties but lost 16 artillery, and two mortar pieces.

Staouéli

Upon retreating the next day Ibrahim showed himself in his very best clothes. His tent was magnificently decorated, and he was ready to launch an attack.

The French at the time were waiting for additional equipment to arrive, since a large amount of their older ones got destroyed in a storm, and in the battle of Sidi Fredj. [8] He wanted to surprise the enemy using a quick raid on their camps. Ibrahim himself knew of the importance of the battle but regardless only used 10,000 of his about 40,000 troops to attack the French army since he underestimated their numbers and prowess. The Algerian attack got repulsed by the French army, whom counter-attacked and seized the Algerian artillery, camps, and the town of Staouéli itself. The Algerians, pursued with bayonets were routed shells launched with marvelous dexterity wherever large groups presented themselves, caused terror amongst them. The Algerian batteries, on the contrary, firing without accuracy, produced no effect; led by even more skillful gunners, their fire did not shake the French troops. From that moment the Algerians understood their weakness, which lied in the old weaponry, and the bad craftsmanships. They did not wait for the shock which threatened them, and instead fled precipitately towards their camp, which they crossed without even thinking of defending it. [9]

Sidi-Khalef

He launched one last desperate battle at Sidi-Khalef to save both his honor, and Algeria, but following his defeat, he was removed by Hussein.

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References

  1. ↑ Andrew Hussey (22 April 2014). The French Intifada: The Long War Between France and Its Arabs. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. pp. 78–. ISBN   978-0-374-71166-5.
  2. ↑ J. F. Ade Ajayi (1 January 1989). Africa in the Nineteenth Century Until the 1880s. UNESCO. pp. 500–. ISBN   978-92-3-101712-4.
  3. ↑ "Ottoman Uniforms - OTTOMAN ALGERIA ARMY AND NAVY". www.ottoman-uniforms.com. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  4. ↑ Sir Grenville Temple (1835). Excursions in the Mediterranean: Algiers and Tunis. Saunders and Otley, Conduit Street. pp. 33–.
  5. ↑ Temple, Sir Grenville (1835). Excursions in the Mediterranean: Algiers and Tunis. Saunders and Otley, Conduit Street.
  6. ↑ Boyer, P. (1985-11-01). "Agha". Encyclopédie berbère (in French) (2): 254–258. doi: 10.4000/encyclopedieberbere.915 . ISSN   1015-7344.
  7. ↑ Berthezène, Pierre (1775-1847) Auteur du texte (1855). Souvenirs militaires de la République et de l'Empire. Tome 1 / par le Bon Berthezène,... ; publiés par son fils et dédiés à S. M. l'empereur Napoléon III.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ↑ Quérard, Joseph-Marie; Bourquelot, Félix; Louandre, Charles; Maury, Alfred (1842). La littérature française contemporaine (in French). Daguin.
  9. ↑ Galibert, Léon (1843). Histoire de l'Algérie ancienne et moderne: depuis les premiers établissements des carthaginois (in French). Furne.
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