| Laghouat Expedition | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Conflicts between the Regency of Algiers and Morocco | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Morocco | Laghouat Beni M'zab other tribes | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Ismail Ibn Sharif Moulay Abdelmalek | |||||||
The Laghouat Expedition were a series of raids led by Morocco, under the reign of Ismail Ibn Sharif from 1708 to 1713.
In the seventeenth century, these oases were already the target of the Alaouite Emir of Tafilalt - before this dynasty took the place of the Saadians on the throne – and were tributaries for a short period of time. [1] [2]
In 1708, the son of Sultan Moulay Ismail, a man named Moulay Abdelmalek launched an expedition to impose a tribute on Laghouat and Aïn Madhi. It is based on the previous conquest of the Alaouite Emir Sidi Mohammed who from the time when Yusuf Bacha was the Pasha of the Regency of Algiers (1647-1650) had carried out raids on Tlemcen, Oujda, Aïn Madhi and Laghouat to claim tribute . The inhabitants of Laghouat then pay tribute only in a forced and temporary way. [1]
This Saharan Expedition of 1708 took place after a reorganization of the Moroccan army following its defeat in the Battle of Chelif against the dey of Algiers in 1701 as counterattack after the Mascara campaign. The son of Moulay Ismail, Abdelmalek, who led the troops established his camp at Aïn Madhi and from there sent troops to collect a tax. One of these troops would have reached Ouargla, but couldn't do anything against Biskra where a garrison of the Beylik of Constantine was present. [3] These expeditions in Algerian territory [3] seem lucrative enough for them to be attempted again between 1710 and 1713 in the direction of Laghouat and Aïn Sefra by more or less controlled elements of the Moroccan army [2] including probably one of Moulay Ismail's nephews who established themselves in Boussemghoun. [3]
These territories were far from the Moroccan homeland, and thus Moroccan control was often loose, and nominal at best. In 1727, following the death of Ismail, a rebellion broke out in Laghouat, which was pacified by an expedition from the Beylik of Titteri (a governorate of Algiers) which removed Moroccan control over the area, and instead established control from Algiers in the region. [4] Laghouat, and other Saharan territories previously under Moroccan control became tributaries of the Bey of Titteri. [5]
Moulay Ismail Ibn Sharif, born around 1645 in Sijilmassa and died on 22 March 1727 at Meknes, was a Sultan of Morocco from 1672 to 1727, as the second ruler of the 'Alawi dynasty. He was the seventh son of Moulay Sharif and was governor of the province of Fez and the north of Morocco from 1667 until the death of his half-brother, Sultan Moulay Rashid in 1672. He was proclaimed sultan at Fez, but spent several years in conflict with his nephew Moulay Ahmed ben Mehrez, who also claimed the throne, until the latter's death in 1687. Moulay Ismail's 55-year reign is the longest of any sultan of Morocco. During his lifetime, Isma’il amassed a harem of over 500 women with more than 800 confirmed biological children, making him one of the most prodigious fathers in recorded history.
MoulayAbd al-Rahman bin Hisham was Sultan of Morocco from 30 November 1822 to 28 August 1859, as a ruler of the 'Alawi dynasty. He was a son of Moulay Hisham. He was proclaimed sultan in Fes after the death of Moulay Sulayman.
Laghouat is one of the fifty-eight provinces (wilaya) of Algeria. It is located in the north central part of Algeria. The province borders Tiaret Province to the north, El Bayadh Province to the west, Ghardaia Province to the south and Djelfa Province to the east. The capital of the province is Laghouat City. The province is famous for palm trees and livestock.
The Battle of Isly was fought on August 14, 1844 between France and Morocco, near the Isly River. French forces under Marshal Thomas Robert Bugeaud routed a much larger, but poorly organized, Moroccan force, mainly fighters from the tribes of Beni Snassen, but also from the Beni Angad and Beni Oukil; under Muhammad, son of the Sultan of Morocco, Abd al-Rahman. Bugeaud, attempting to complete the French conquest of Algeria, instigated the battle without a declaration of war in order to force negotiations concerning Moroccan support for the Algerian resistance leader Abd el-Kader to conclude on terms favorable to the French who demanded the Sultan of Morocco to withdraw support for Abd el-Kader.
Abul Amlak Moulay Sharif ibn 'Ali was an Arab Emir of Tafilalt from 1631 to 1636. He was a sharif whose family claimed to be descended from the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandson Hasan. Moulay Sharif is considered to be the founder of the Alaouite Dynasty of Morocco for being the father of Sidi Muhammad, Al-Rashid of Morocco, and Ismail Ibn Sharif.
Laghouat is the capital of the Laghouat Province, Algeria, 400 km (250 mi) south of the Algerian capital Algiers. Located in the Amour Range of the Saharan Atlas, the town is an oasis on the north edge of the Sahara Desert. It is an important administrative and military center and marketplace, and is known for rug and tapestry weaving.
Ahmed Bey ben Mohamed Sherif, also known as Ahmed Bey or Hadj Ahmed Bey was the last bey of Constantine in the Regency of Algiers, ruling from 1826 to 1848. He was the successor of Mohamed Menamenni Bey ben Khan. As head of state, he led the local population in a fierce resistance to the French occupation forces. With the position vacant, in 1833 he adopted the title of leader of Algeria, and dey in exile، although this was not recognized by any other country. In 1837 Constantine was taken by the French after an intense siege. He retreated into the Aurès Mountains from where he continued to wage a low-intensity conflict with tribes still loyal to him, until he capitulated in 1848.
Sultan Sidi Muhammad ibn Sharif ibn Ali ibn Muhammad was an Arab ruler of Tafilalt, Morocco between 1636 and 1664. He was the eldest son of Moulay Sharif ibn Ali and came to power when his father stepped down. He was killed on 2 August 1664 in a battle on the plain of Angad by troops of his half-brother Moulay Rachid.
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.
Lalla Khanatha bint Bakkar (1668–1754), was one of the wives of Sultan Moulay Ismail, and acted as his de facto First Minister and Secretary. After his death, she remained active in the political governance of Morocco during the unstable situation which followed as the mother of Sultan Moulay Abdallah.
The Saharan Mounted Companies of the Foreign Legion consisted of legionnaires of various nationalities and races transferred from the existing Foreign Legion infantry and cavalry regiments. These units were different from the Saharan Méharistes Companies.
The Awlad Sidi Shaykh was a confederation of Arab tribes in the west and south of Algeria led by the descendants of the Sufi saint Sidi Shaykh. The Awlad had religious authority, and also owned agricultural settlements and engaged in trade. During the French occupation of Algeria they alternately cooperated with and opposed the colonialists.
The Battle of Chelif or Battle of Djidouia took place on 28 April 1701 on the banks of the Chelif River. It was fought between the armies of the Alaouite Sultan Ismail Ibn Sharif and those of the Regency of Algiers commanded by the Bey of Mascara, Mustapha Bouchelaghem. It took place in the context of an attempt by the Alaouites to conquer the west of the Regency of Algiers, coordinated with an offensive by Tunis on the east of the Regency of Algiers in 1700 and 1701.
The Campaign of Tlemcen (1551) was a military operation led by the Regency of Algiers under Hasan Pasha and his ally Abdelaziz, following the capture of Tlemcen by the Saadi Sultanate in June 1550.
The Beylik of Constantine, Beylik of the Sunrise or Beylik of the East as was its official designation, was one of the three Beyliks of the Regency of Algiers . The region liberated itself from the Hafsid Emirate of Béjaïa in the early 16th century, and constituted itself around Constantine in the mid to late 16th century. The Beylik collapsed in the 1837 siege of Constantine during the French conquest of Algeria. The Constantine department was formed upon the bases of the Beylik in 1848.
The Beylik of the West was one of three Beyliks (governorates) of the Regency of Algiers, with the other two being the Beylik of Titteri and the Beylik of Constantine. It was established in 1563, and it was ended during the French conquest.
The siege of Oran (1693) was an attempt by the Alaouite sultan Ismail Ibn Sharif to take the city of Oran, which was then under Spanish rule. After being defeated by the Spanish, he was attacked and defeated again by the Algerian Arab tribes while retreating from the territory.
The Maghrebi war (1699–1702) was a conflict involving a Tunisian, Tripolitanian, and Moroccan coalition, and the Deylik of Algiers. It was an important milestone in the further weakening of the already fragile Ottoman grip over the Maghreb, as both sides utterly ignored the Ottoman sultan's pleas to sign a peace treaty. This war also led to the renewal of the Muradid infighting, which would later lead to the establishment of the Beylik of Tunis, and the Husainid dynasty in 1705.
The Beylik of Titteri was one of the three permanent Beyliks of the Regency of Algiers, the other two being the Western Beylik, and the Beylik of Constantine. It was established in 1546 and was ended during the French conquest of Algeria.
The Mascara campaign of 1699–1701 was launched by Moulay Zidan, son of the Moroccan Sultan Moulay Ismail, to capture the Beylik of Mascara, situated in the west of the Deylik of Algiers. This episode reopened the hostilities between the Sherifian Empire and the Regency of Algiers.