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Ottoman Algeria in Western Diplomatic History with ... - Bibliothèque

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INTRODUCTION<br />

A. THESIS<br />

This study exam<strong>in</strong>es the history of diplomatic relations of the <strong>Ottoman</strong><br />

regency of Algiers <strong>with</strong> the western powers from its foundation <strong>in</strong> 1519 to its<br />

collapse some three hundred years later. Particular emphasis, however, is put<br />

on relations between Algiers and the United States dur<strong>in</strong>g the period 1776-<br />

1816 to illustrate a cont<strong>in</strong>uity of the clash between Algiers’ corsair<strong>in</strong>g<br />

diplomacy, on one side, and what has traditionally been called ‘gunboat<br />

diplomacy’, on the other. The study denotes also a shift of <strong>in</strong> the use of this<br />

form of coercive diplomacy vis-à-vis Algiers, <strong>in</strong> particular, and naval patroll<strong>in</strong>g<br />

of the North African coast, <strong>in</strong> general, from the great European powers to the<br />

United States which commenced an era of cont<strong>in</strong>uous U.S. Navy presence <strong>in</strong><br />

the region that has extended up to today. The argument of the thesis consists<br />

basically of two elements: emphasis upon the traditional confrontation between<br />

Islam and Christianity and persistence of stances aga<strong>in</strong>st Algiers throughout the<br />

whole period of its existence; and spread<strong>in</strong>g out of western anti-Algiers<br />

antagonism to the United States, albeit under the guise of national <strong>in</strong>terest, until<br />

the colonization of <strong>Algeria</strong>. This thesis, therefore, approaches <strong>Algeria</strong>n<br />

1

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