Treaty of Tafna
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Tafna was signed by both Abd-el-Kader and General Thomas Robert Bugeaud on May 30, 1837. This agreement was developed after French imperial forces sustained heavy losses and military reversals in Algeria
. The terms of the treaty entailed Abd-el-Kader recognizing French imperial sovereignty in Africa
. However, the price France
had to pay for acquiring recognition entailed its secession of approximately two-thirds of Algeria to Abd-el-Kader (i.e. the provinces of Oran
, Koléa, Médéa
, Tlemcen
and Algiers
). As a result of the treaty, France was only able to maintain a few ports. The treaty was eventually broken by King Louis-Philippe
in 1839, who ordered the occupation of Constantine
, which led to more conflicts between Abd-el-Kader's forces and French imperial forces. Abd-el-Kader declared war again on October 15, 1839.
French rule in Algeria
French Algeria lasted from 1830 to 1962, under a variety of governmental systems. From 1848 until independence, the whole Mediterranean region of Algeria was administered as an integral part of France, much like Corsica and Réunion are to this day. The vast arid interior of Algeria, like the rest...
. The terms of the treaty entailed Abd-el-Kader recognizing French imperial sovereignty in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. However, the price France
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...
had to pay for acquiring recognition entailed its secession of approximately two-thirds of Algeria to Abd-el-Kader (i.e. the provinces of Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
, Koléa, Médéa
Medea
Medea is a woman in Greek mythology. She was the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis, niece of Circe, granddaughter of the sun god Helios, and later wife to the hero Jason, with whom she had two children, Mermeros and Pheres. In Euripides's play Medea, Jason leaves Medea when Creon, king of...
, Tlemcen
Tlemcen
Tlemcen is a town in Northwestern Algeria, and the capital of the province of the same name. It is located inland in the center of a region known for its olive plantations and vineyards...
and Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
). As a result of the treaty, France was only able to maintain a few ports. The treaty was eventually broken by King Louis-Philippe
Louis-Philippe of France
Louis Philippe I was King of the French from 1830 to 1848 in what was known as the July Monarchy. His father was a duke who supported the French Revolution but was nevertheless guillotined. Louis Philippe fled France as a young man and spent 21 years in exile, including considerable time in the...
in 1839, who ordered the occupation of 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...
, which led to more conflicts between Abd-el-Kader's forces and French imperial forces. Abd-el-Kader declared war again on October 15, 1839.
Sources
- An Account of Algeria, or the French Provinces in Africa. Journal of the Statistical Society of London, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 115 – 126 (March 1839).