Ahmed Bey Ben Mohamed Chérif
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Ahmed Bey ben Mohamed Sherif, also known as Ahmed Bey or Hadj Ahmed Bey () (c. 1784 – c. 1850) was the last ''
bey Bey, also spelled as Baig, Bayg, Beigh, Beig, Bek, Baeg, Begh, or Beg, is a Turkic title for a chieftain, and a royal, aristocratic title traditionally applied to people with special lineages to the leaders or rulers of variously sized areas in ...
'' of
Constantine Constantine most often refers to: * Constantine the Great, Roman emperor from 306 to 337, also known as Constantine I * Constantine, Algeria, a city in Algeria Constantine may also refer to: People * Constantine (name), a masculine g ...
in the
Regency of Algiers The Regency of Algiers was an Early modern period, early modern semi-independent Administrative divisions of the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman province and nominal Tributary states of the Ottoman Empire, vassal state on the Barbary Coast of North Afr ...
, 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 The Aures Mountains (, known in antiquity as ) are a subrange of the Saharan Atlas in northeastern Algeria. The mountain range gives its name to the mountainous natural and historical region of the Aurès. Geography The Aures mountains are the ...
from where he continued to wage a
low-intensity conflict A low-intensity conflict (LIC) is a military conflict, usually localised, between two or more state or non-state groups which is below the intensity of conventional war. It involves the state's use of military forces applied selectively and wi ...
with tribes still loyal to him, until he capitulated in 1848.


Early life and career

Ahmed Bey was born to a
Kouloughli Kouloughlis, also spelled Koulouglis, Cologhlis and Qulaughlis (from Turkish language, Turkish ''Kuloğlu'' "Children of The Empire Servants" from ''wikt:kul#Turkish, Kul'' "soldier" or "servant" + ''wikt:oğlu#Turkish, Oğlu'' "son of", but the t ...
father called Mohamed ben Ahmed Chérif, and an Algerian mother named El Hadja Rékia. He was the grandson of Ahmed Bey el Kolli. When he was barely eighteen years old, the ''bey'' Abd Allah gave him the title of ''caïd'' of the El Aouassi (chief of Harakta tribes). Following the earthquake in the
Blida Blida () is a city in Algeria. It is the capital of Blida Province, and it is located about 45 km south-west of Algiers, the national capital. The name ''Blida'', i.e. ''bulaydah'', is a diminutive of the Arabic word ''belda'', city. Ge ...
region the ''dey'' controlled, he appointed him to Hunah el Kadous near Algiers, and gave him the enjoyment of haouch Ouled Baba. Ahmed Bey engaged in many pastimes, such as hunting and horse riding. From time to time he took part in expeditions to protect ''beylikal'' troops, engaged against hostile Kabyle tribes such as the Beni Menad and the Beni Djenad. During his pilgrimage to
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
, which lasted fifteen months, he met several famous people in
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
, including
Muhammad Ali Pasha Mehmed Ali Pasha may refer to: * Muhammad Ali of Egypt (1769–1849), considered the founder of modern Egypt * Çerkes Mehmed Pasha (died 1625), Ottoman statesman and grand vizier * Mehmed Emin Âli Pasha (1815–1871), Ottoman statesman and gra ...
, his son Ibrahim Pasha and
Tusun Pasha Tusun Pasha (, , ; 1794 – 28 September 1816) was the younger son of Muhammad Ali Pasha, Wāli of Egypt between 1805 and 1849, by Amina Hanim. He was the father of Abbas I of Egypt (1812–1854) by princess Pembe Qadin. He is buried in Ho ...
. He was an avid reformer and wanted to see a modernized and prestigious Algeria loyal to the Ottoman Empire, although autonomous, much like Muhammad Ali's Egypt.


Bey of Constantine and French invasion

Appointed Bey of Constantine in 1826, he began modernizing the region based of Muhammad Ali's reforms. He first and foremost sought to reform Constantine's politics and military. He established Algeria's first modern manufacturing facilities with all the needed machinery and invited foreign specialists. He established modern military divisions of all few thousand men recruited from Kabyle and Arab tribes. He reformed the political organization of the province, and constructed a new palace for the administration of the province. In 1830 the French invaded Algiers, and took the city. In the capitulation of 1830 the ''deylik'' of Algiers was dissolved, and the French sent out letters demanding capitulation to the three governors of the three provinces of Algiers. Only the governor of the Beylik of the West capitulated, with Ahmed Bey and Mustapha Boumezrag Bey of
Titteri The Titteri (, ) is a historical region in Algeria. It is located in the mountainous area of the southern Tell Atlas in the Atlas Mountains. Geography The Titteri was a former administrative division of the Regency of Algiers. It is located in ...
continuing the resistance, not recognizing the treaty, and declaring ''jihad'' to restore the ''deylik'' and liberate the French-occupied territories. He came into conflict with Mustapha, who declared himself the new ''Dey-Pasha'' of Algiers in exile, Mustapha was forced to capitulate after a French campaign captured his capital in November 1830. Boumezrag was the only leftover of the old ''deylik'', and became a rival of the rising
Emir Abdelkader Abd al-Qadir ibn Muhyi al-Din (6 September 1808 – 26 May 1883; '), known as the Emir Abdelkader or Abd al-Qadir al-Hassani al-Jaza'iri, was an Algerian religious and military leader who led a struggle against the French colonial invasion of ...
over ideological disagreements; while Abdelkader wanted to install an independent modern Islamic state in Algeria, Ahmed Bey wanted to restore the old Ottoman ''deylik''. In 1832 the French took
Annaba Annaba (), formerly known as Bon, Bona and Bône, is a seaport city in the northeastern corner of Algeria, close to the border with Tunisia. Annaba is near the small Seybouse River and is in the Annaba Province. With a population of about 263,65 ...
.Achille Fillias, History of the conquest and colonization of Algeria, 1830-1860 , University of Oxford, 1860 He declared himself the ''Dey-Pasha'' of Algiers in 1833 after what he called "popular request" from the population of Algiers.He continued to organize the defence of
Constantine, Algeria Constantine (), also spelled Qacentina or Kasantina, is the capital of Constantine Province in northeastern Algeria. During Roman times it was called Cirta and was renamed "Constantina" in honour of Emperor Constantine the Great. Located somewh ...
, and lead several battles against the French army. He won a massive victory in 1836 against Maréchal Clauzel. When Constantine was besieged by the French in 1837, Ahmed Bey managed to escape and to organize resistance in the
Aurès Mountains The Aures Mountains (, known in antiquity as ) are a subrange of the Saharan Atlas in northeastern Algeria. The mountain range gives its name to the mountainous natural and historical region of the Aurès. Geography The Aures mountains are the ...
. In 1842, he rallied the tribe of Ouled Nasser, hoping to provide support with the Kabyles, and approached the camp of Ain Roumel. On 25 August 1842, French general
Jean-René Sillègue Jean-René is a French masculine given name. Notable people with the name include: *Jean-René Akono (born 1967), Cameroonian volleyball player * Jean René Allard (1930–2020), a former politician in Manitoba, Canada * Jean-René Asseline (died ...
entered the land of the Amouchas, namely a village north of
Sétif Sétif () is the capital city of the Sétif Province and the 5th most populous city of Algeria, with an estimated population of 1.866.845 in 2017). It is one of the most important cities of eastern Algeria and the country as a whole, since it is c ...
, and met a gathering of two to three thousand Kabyles who failed to stop him. On September 10, the general defeated the cavalry of Hadj Ahmed Bey at the foot of Djbel Bou Taleb, and managed to destroy his influence on the tribes of the Tell.


Death

Ahmed died on August 30, 1850, 65 years old. According to his wishes, he is buried in
Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...
in the
Thaalibia Cemetery Thaalibia Cemetery () or Abd al-Rahman al-Tha'alibi Cemetery () is a cemetery in the Casbah of Algiers in the communes of Algeria, commune of the Casbah of Algiers. The name "Thaalibia" is related to Abd al-Rahman al-Tha'alibi. History This Isl ...
near the mosque of
Sidi Abder Rahman of Algiers Abdul-Rahman al-Tha'alibi () (1384 CE/785 AH – 15 March 1479 CE/875 AH) was an Algerian Islamic scholar, Imam and Sufi wali. Born near the town of Isser (86 km south east of Algiers), he was raised in a very spiritual environment with ...
in the
Casbah of Algiers The Casbah of Algiers, commonly referred to as the Casbah (Arabic: القصبة, Al-qaṣabah, meaning "citadel"), corresponds to the old town or Medina quarter, medina of Algiers, the capital of Algeria. It is a historic district that has been l ...
. His marble mausoleum is surmounted by a
turban A turban (from Persian language, Persian دولبند‌, ''dolband''; via Middle French ''turbant'') is a type of headwear based on cloth winding. Featuring many variations, it is worn as customary headwear by people of various cultures. Commun ...
.


See also

* List of beys of Constantine, Algeria *
Ottoman Algeria The Regency of Algiers was an early modern semi-independent Ottoman province and nominal vassal state on the Barbary Coast of North Africa from 1516 to 1830. Founded by the privateer brothers Aruj and Hayreddin Reis (also known as the Barb ...


References


Bibliography

*. {{DEFAULTSORT:Bey, Ahmed Algerian people of Turkish descent Turks from the Ottoman Empire Beys of Constantine, Algeria People from Constantine, Algeria 1780s births 1850 deaths