The Danish–Algerian War was a conflict lasting from 1769 to 1772 between
Denmark–Norway
Denmark–Norway (Danish and Norwegian: ) was an early modern multi-national and multi-lingual real unionFeldbæk 1998:11 consisting of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Kingdom of Norway (including the then Norwegian overseas possessions: the Faroe I ...
and
Deylik of Algiers
The Regency of Algiers ( ar, دولة الجزائر, translit=Dawlat al-Jaza'ir) was a state in North Africa lasting from 1516 to 1830, until it was conquered by the French. Situated between the regency of Tunis in the east, the Sultanate o ...
which was a province of the
Ottoman Empire, but it was mostly functionally independent. It is also known as the Algerian Expedition, or "The War Against Algeria".
Background and beginning of conflict
Danish-Norwegian trade in the Mediterranean greatly expanded in the mid 1700s. In order to protect their lucrative business against
piracy, Denmark–Norway had secured a peace deal with the states of
Barbary Coast, involving the payment an annual tribute to the individual rulers of those states and additionally to the States.
In 1766
Baba Mohammed ben-Osman became
Dey
Dey (Arabic: داي), from the Turkish honorific title ''dayı'', literally meaning uncle, was the title given to the rulers of the Ottoman Algeria, Regency of Algiers (Algeria), Tripoli, Libya, Tripoli,Bertarelli (1929), p. 203. and Ottoman Tu ...
of Algiers. He demanded that the annual payment made by Denmark–Norway should be increased, and he should receive new gifts. Denmark–Norway refused the demands. Shortly after, Algerian pirates hijacked three Danish-Norwegian ships and sold the crew into slavery.
Response

A
punitive expedition comprising four
ships of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactic known as the line of battle, which depended on the two colum ...
, with two
frigates and two
bomb galiots, under the command of
Frederik Christian Kaas, sailed from
Copenhagen in 16 May 1770. They threatened to
bombard __NOTOC__
Bombard may refer to the act of carrying out a bombardment. It may also refer to:
Individuals
*Alain Bombard (1924–2005), French biologist, physician and politician; known for crossing the Atlantic on a small boat with no water or food
...
the Algerian capital if the Algerians did not agree to a new peace deal on Danish terms. Algiers was not intimidated, and the Danish-Norwegian bombardment ended in failure, as a large part of the crew fell seriously ill due to an outbreak of
typhoid. The ships could not withstand heavy mortar attacks from the Algerians, which damaged their hulls. The Danish-Norwegian contingent fired approximately 75 bombs at the city of
Algiers
Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques ...
before the attack had to be abandoned. The contingent then resorted to a blockade of the city.
The ''
De Fire Søstre,'' a merchant and hospital ship was present with the Danish squadron in the Mediterranean 1770 -1771, and its captain, Jens Knudsen, visited the sick who had been landed at Port Mahon.
Aftermath
In 1772, a delegation was sent to Algiers, and after five days of negotiations a new peace was concluded in which Algiers was well-paid. In addition,
Denmark–Norway
Denmark–Norway (Danish and Norwegian: ) was an early modern multi-national and multi-lingual real unionFeldbæk 1998:11 consisting of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Kingdom of Norway (including the then Norwegian overseas possessions: the Faroe I ...
had to pay for the return of each slave who had been captured during the war. Danish and Norwegian slaves who were sold to private slave owners had to individually negotiate the prices of their freedom.
Today the war is mostly forgotten in Denmark and Norway, because it played a small role in Danish and Norwegian history.
In Fiction
The 2013 novel
1001 natt' by Vetle Lid Larssen follows two Norwegians enslaved during the war.
See also
*
List of wars involving Denmark
This is a list of wars involving the Kingdom of Denmark.
: - 101
: - 61
: - 39
700–1300
1300–1500
1500–1699
1700–1799
1800–1945
1946–present
Notes
Referencess
See also
* Dano-Swedish war (disambiguation)
* List of ...
*
List of wars involving Norway
This is a list of wars involving the Kingdom of Norway in some capacity, both the modern polity and its predecessor states.
List Unification of Norway (860–872)
Kingdom of Norway (872–1397)
Kalmar Union (1397–1523)
Denmark–Norway (15 ...
*
List of conflicts in Algeria
This is a list of conflicts in Algeria arranged chronologically from ancient to modern times. This list includes both nationwide and international types of war, including (but not limited to) the following: wars of independence, liberation war ...
*
Action of 16 May 1797
References
Rxternal links
Source
{{DEFAULTSORT:Danish-Algerian War
Wars involving Denmark
Wars involving Norway
Wars involving the Ottoman Empire
18th century in Algeria
Algeria–Denmark relations
Conflicts in 1769
Conflicts in 1770
Conflicts in 1771
Conflicts in 1772
Wars involving Algeria