Mustapha Bouchelaghem

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Mustapha Bouchelaghem
Mezzo Morto
Preceded byShaaban Bey
Succeeded byYoucef Bey of Mascara
Personal details
Born
Mustapha ben Youcef el-Mesrati

17th century
Near Mascara, Algeria
Died1734/1737
Mostaganem
Resting placeBouchelaghem mausoleum, near Mostaganem
CitizenshipRegency of Algiers
Military service
Years of service1686–1732
Battles/wars

Mustapha Bouchelaghem, also known as Bey Bouchelaghem was the Bey of the Western Beylik from 1686 to 1734/37.

Origins and early life

Mustapha, born as Mustapha ben Youcef was the son of an Algerian Arabic man called Youcef el-Mesrati,[1] a noble from the Kalaa of Beni Rached,[2] and an Algerian woman. His father served as Khalifa (lieutenant-governor)[3] to the Bey of Constantine. He moved back to Mostaganem where he had eight children, the first-born being Mustapha. Several of his siblings would also later become Beys of Oran.[4]

His full name was Mustapha ben Youcef Ben Mohamed ben Ishaq el-Mesrati.[4] The name Bouchelaghem, and its Spanish version "El Bigotillos," was an epithet referring to his Moustache.[5][6]

Bey

He was elected as Bey in 1686, after the previous bey Chaban-ez-Zenagui was killed in front of Oran.[7]

In 1701 he moved his capital to Mascara, and built a garrison there. The reason for this was its more central location. He worked hard to accumulate a large army mainly composed of thousands of Arab-Berber tribal levy.

Early wars (1680s–1708)

Conflicts with Morocco

In 1699 the

Barbary States. In the same year his territory was invaded by the Moroccans during the Mascara campaign led by one of Moulay Ismail’s sons, during which his palace was looted, however this campaign resulted in a peace negotiation which infuriated Moulay Ismail causing him to direct another attempted invasion.[8][9] In 1701 with the help of Hajj Mustapha Dey, he decisively defeated the Moroccan armies in the Battle of Chelif.[10]

In 1707 he got into another conflict with the Moroccans as

an expedition to do so. Bouchelaghem was able to push them back.[4]

Conflicts with Spain

In 1703

beginning the siege.[12] After 6 months, Oran and Mers el Kébir fell to his hands.[4][12]

He moved his capital to Oran,[4] which he made a base for Barbary pirates, and constructed a small fleet to protect the town.

Peaceful period (1708–1732)

In 1710 a revolution led by Baba Ali Chaouch happened in Algiers. The new king achieved de facto independence from the Ottoman Empire,[13] and he started purging unloyal elements. In the Beylik of Constantine alone 3 Beys were replaced in the same year.[14] Bey Bouchelaghem was not replaced, mainly thanks to his popularity and neutrality. During this period, he built the defences up, and invested in regional wealth.

Spanish siege of Oran

Main article:
Spanish-Algerian War (1732)

In 1732, Spain invaded Oran and Mers el Kébir. After defeating the Algerian fleets protecting the city, they set foot on the shores of the city, and after a brutal siege, they captured Oran.[15]

Death

The mausoleum of Bey Bouchelaghem and his wife.

Bey Bouchelaghem retreated to Mostaganem, and became depressed after the losing the city. He died in 1734 or 1737 (sources conflict). He was succeeded by his brother.[4] He was Bey of Oran for 51 years, the longest reigning Bey. He is buried in his own mausoleum.

References

  1. ^ Revue africaine: bulletin de travaux de la Société historique algérienne (in French). Kraus Reprint. 1971.
  2. ^ "طلوع سعد السّعود | الباي مصطفى بوشلاغم المسراتي". books.rafed.net. Retrieved 2021-07-04.
  3. ISBN 978-1-85065-027-0
    .
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Le sépulcre du Bey Bouchelaghem (16?? - 1734) : PATRIMOINE EN PÉRIL". Algerie network Blog (in French). 2015-09-10. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  5. ISBN 978-9961-54-219-4
    .
  6. ISBN 978-2-213-63255-1
    .
  7. ^ texte, Société historique algérienne Auteur du (1924). "Revue africaine : journal des travaux de la Société historique algérienne". Gallica. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  8. ^ Histoire générale de l'Algérie. P.554. Henri Garrot Impr. P. Crescenzo,
  9. ISBN 978-2-35676-097-5
    .
  10. ^ Julien, Charles André (1966). Histoire de l'Afrique du Nord: Tunisie, Algérie, Maroc (in French). Payot.
  11. ISBN 978-1-78159-031-7
    .
  12. ^
    ISSN 1111-2050
    .
  13. ^ Biographie universelle, ancienne et moderne (in French). 1834.
  14. ^ Niel, Odilon (1878). Géographie de l'Algérie (in French). L. Legendre.
  15. OCLC 31374685
    .
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mustapha_Bouchelaghem&oldid=1218678935"