The Battle of Tadmaït took place between the Emirate Of Mascara against the

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

Army.

Background

The campaign led by

General Bugeaud Thomas Robert Bugeaud, marquis de la Piconnerie, duc d'Isly (15 October 178410 June 1849) was a Marshal of France and Governor-General of Algeria. Early life He was born at Limoges, a member of a noble family of Périgord (Occitania), the y ...

against Khalifa

Ahmed ben Salem Ahmed bin Tayeb bin Salem al-Debaisi or simply Ahmed bin Salem was an Algerian Sufi, commander, and warrior mostly known for commanding the Kabyle Zwawa resistance in the Emirate of Abdelkader. Origins Ahmed bin Salem was born between 1798, and ...

in the Tadmayt region in April 1844 aimed to caution the tribes that remained loyal to the state of Emir Abdelkader.

's forces set out from

El-Harrach El Harrach (Berber: ⵍⵃⴻⵔⵔⴰⵛ , formerly ''Maison-Carrée'') is a suburb of the Algerian capital Algiers. The town is home to USM El Harrach football club and the Higher National Veterinary School is located in the area. Notable peo ...

on April 27, 1844, comprising an army of approximately 6,000 to 8,000 soldiers after assembling the gathering since April 25, 1844. The objective was to curb the influence of Emir Abdelkader and maintain control over tribes in the region.

Battle

After 18 days of marching towards Djurdjura, including clashes with Algerian resistance fighters, a portion of

's force was stationed in Tadmayt under the command of General Gentil, General Court, and Colonel Schmitt. The remaining forces continued advancing towards the mountains of Sidi Ali Bounab.

encountered resistance from the tribes and hamlets of Iflissen Umellil, leading to an attack by

's horsemen. The Algerians withdrew towards the heights of

Sidi Ali Bounab Sidi Ali Bounab is a mountain in Algeria, about 800 m in height, shared between the wilayas of Tizi Ouzou and Boumerdes. It overlooks the plain of Tadmaït. Its forests are composed mainly of cork oak ''Quercus suber'', commonly called the co ...

, and

eventually withdrew after losing 32 French soldiers. The Zawawa resistance also suffered significant losses, with some of their villages being burned and destroyed.

Aftermath

Following the battle, the leader of Fleyset El-Jbel, known as "Ben Zaamoum," advanced towards the French camp to negotiate a truce with France. He secured recognition as the leader of his tribe by the

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tadmaït 1844 Battles of the French conquest of Algeria History of Tizi Ouzou Province 1844 in Algeria Conflicts in 1844 Battles involving the Emirate of Abdelkader 1840s battles April 1844 events