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Battle of Mers-el-Fahm

Battle of Mers-el-Fahm
Date1603
Location
Result Victory of Kuku
Belligerents
Flag of Kingdom of Kuku Kingdom of Kuku
Regency of Algiers Regency of Algiers
Spanish Empire Spanish Empire
Commanders and leaders
Flag of Kingdom of Kuku Prince Abdallah
Regency of Algiers Soliman Pasha
Spanish Empire Viceroy of Majorca
Spanish Empire Father Matthew  
Strength
Unknown 4 Galleys[1][2][3]
100+ men[1][3]
Casualties and losses
None 80 killed[2]

The Battle of Mers-el-Fahm otherwise known as the Massacre of Mers-el-Fahm was a surprise attack planned by Soliman Pasha and the King of Kuku's Nephew, Abdallah against the Spanish Empire, in which Abdallah promised to let the Spanish install garissons in the village of Azeffoun only to massacre them after being promised money by Algiers.

Context

A religious man by the name of Father Matthew was a slave in Kuku for a long time, even learning the local language, and he grew close with the Governor of Zeffoun (Azeffoun) Abdallah who was also Nephew of the King of Kuku, exploiting the Independence of Kuku from Algiers, Matthew devised a plan with him to let Spanish garrisons military access. To which Abdallah promised to give the Spaniards entry at Mers-el-Fahm (Arabic: مرسى الفحم, romanized: Marsā al-Faḥm) owever, the Divan of Algiers found out about this plot from spies, and Soliman Pasha took an army and besieged Azzefoun, to which Abdallah surrendered, Soliman asked Abdallah to massacre the Spanish garrison on their arrival at Oued-el-Fahm, promising him 1 sultani for each Christian's head and 200 sultani for Matthew's head, to which Abdallah accepted.[1][2][3]

Massacre

Father Matthew arrived with 4 Galleys commanded by the Viceroy of Majorca, and about 100 men, when they arrived Abdallah made sure to give them a honorable welcome to make them feel safe, Matthew asks about the son of the King of Kuku, who was gonna be taken by the Spanish as a hostage, Abdallah told them that his cousin was bound in a fortress to which Abdallah tells Matthew to follow him into the fort to retrieve the hostage, Matthew got suspicious and tried to go back to his galleys only to be attacked by the Kabyles and massacred, the Viceroy of Majorca retreats from the shores leaving Matthew and his 80 men to be killed by Abdallah and his army.[1][2][4][3][5]

Aftermath

After bringing the heads to Algiers, Soliman Pasha did not give Abdallah anything for the heads.[1][2][3] with the pretext that Abdallah 'had to bring them alive so they can be held captive or sold as slaves'.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Berbrugger, Adrien (1857). Les époques militaires de la Grande Kabilie (in French). Bastide. pp. 106–109.
  2. ^ a b c d e Fournel, Henri (1854). Richesse minérale de l'Algérie: accompagnée d'éclaircissements historiques sur cette partie de l'Afrique septentrionale (in French). Imprimerie nationale.
  3. ^ a b c d e Liorel, Jules (1893). Kabylie du Jurjura: Races berbères. Préf. de Émile Masqueray (in French). Leroux.
  4. ^ a b Mercier, Ernest (1891). Histoire de l'Afrique Septentrionale (Berbérie) depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'à la conquête française (1830) par Ernest Mercier (in French). Ernest Leroux.
  5. ^ Grammont, H. D. de (1887). Histoire d'Alger sous la domination turque (1515-1830) (in French).

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