Dey
Encyclopedia
Ottoman Algeria
Ottoman Algeria was an Ottoman territory centered on Algiers, in modern Algeria. It was established around 1525 when Hayreddin Barbarossa recaptured the city. The Regency of Algiers was the principal center of Ottoman Empire power in the Maghreb. It was also a base from which attacks were made on...
(Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
) and Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
under the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
from 1671 onwards. Twenty-nine deys held office from the establishment of the deylicate in Algeria until the French conquest in 1830.
The dey was chosen by local civilian, military, and religious leaders to govern for life and ruled with a high degree of autonomy from the Ottoman sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
. The main sources of his revenues were taxes on the agricultural population, religious tributes, and protection payments rendered by Corsairs, regarded as pirates who preyed on Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
shipping.
The dey was assisted in governing by a divan
Divan
A divan was a high governmental body in a number of Islamic states, or its chief official .-Etymology:...
(ديوان) made up of the Chiefs of the Army and Navy, the Director of Shipping, the Treasurer-General and the Collector of Tributes.
The realm of the dey of Alger was divided into three provinces (Constantine
Constantine, Algeria
Constantine is the capital of Constantine Province in north-eastern Algeria. It was the capital of the same-named French département until 1962. Slightly inland, it is about 80 kilometres from the Mediterranean coast, on the banks of Rhumel river...
, Titteri and Mascara), each of which was administered by a bey
Bey
Bey is a title for chieftain, traditionally applied to the leaders of small tribal groups. Accoding to some sources, the word "Bey" is of Turkish language In historical accounts, many Turkish, other Turkic and Persian leaders are titled Bey, Beg, Bek, Bay, Baig or Beigh. They are all the same word...
(باي) whom he appointed.
The rule of the deys of Alger came to an end on 5 July 1830, when Hussein Dey
Hussein Dey (ruler)
Hussein Dey , was the last of the Ottoman provincial rulers of Algiers . He is most well known for sparking the war that led to decades of French rule over the country of Algeria....
(1765–1838) surrendered to invading French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
forces.
The last Dey of Tripoli was killed by Ahmed Karamanli
Ahmed Karamanli
Ahmed or Ahmad Karamanli or Qaramanli or al-Qaramanli, was of Turkish origin. He founded the Karamanli dynasty of Tripolitania or Tripoli...
, who established the homonymous dynasty, in 1711.
See also
- List of Pasha and Dey of Algiers
- List of Pasha and Dey of TripoliPasha of TripoliPasha of Tripoli is a title that was held by many rulers of Tripoli in Ottoman Libya. Other titles include Dey and Agha.-List of Pashas 1551-1609:* Murad Agha 1551-1556* Turgut Reis Pasha 1556-1565* Yahya Pasha 1565-1566...