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

States in the 1770s down to the conquest of Algiers in 1830. 2
Corsairing
emerged and developed in a complex historical and religious background and
left lasting imprints not only the history of Algeria but also on its diplomatic
relations with the western countries generally and the United States
particularly. Although Algerian-American relations did not take place until
corsairing was on the decline, yet they were profoundly affected by a deeplyrooted
corsairing diplomatic tradition that took form during the period of
Ottoman rule in Algeria. Therefore, it is essential to place corsairing within the
appropriate religious and historical context because it helps understand those
early short-lived relations.
Ever since the emergence of the Ottoman province of Algiers early in
the 16 th century to its collapse some three hundred years, its history, and that of
the Mediterranean Basin in general, was a history of confrontation between two
religions: Islam and Christianity. The religious divide was so neatly set that one
may imagine the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean colored
green to denote their adherence to Islam while the “Northern and Western
shores should be, if not one color, bedecked with flags bearing a cross” to
denote their adherence to Christianity. 3 To the religious strife, one may graft
the struggle for power, naval and commercial, that characterized the history of
the Mediterranean world. The frontiers between the two divides might have
2 The adjective ‘Algerian’ is used here to indicate someone or something pertaining to the regency of
Algiers, the political entity as existing between 1519 and 1830. In western writings, the terms ‘Barbary
Coast’ and ‘Barbaresques’ were generally used. By late 18 th century, when the Americans entered in
contact with the region, they used the term ‘Algerine.’
3 Susan Rose, “Islam versus Christendom: The Naval Dimension, 1000-1600,” The Journal of Military
History, 63: 3 (Jul., 1999), p. 561.
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