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A Short History of Algeria

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Algeria formally known as the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria is an independent state located in North Africa on the Mediterranean coast. Its capital city is Algiers and is located in the northern region of the country. It is the largest country in Africa and the tenth-largest in the globe. Tunisia borders Algeria to the northeast, Libya to the east, Morocco to the west, Western Saharan territory, Mali, and Mauritania to the south-west, Niger to the south-east, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north.

Ancient Algeria has had many dynasties and empires such as the ancient Numidians, Romans, Phoenicians, Vandals, Carthaginians, Byzantines, Abbasids, Umayyads, Idridis, Rustamis, Aghlabid, Ziris, Fatimids, Hammadids, Almohads, Ottomans, Almoravids, and the French colonial empire. The Berbers are, however, considered to be the aboriginal occupants of Algeria. Due to the Arab conquest of North Africa, most local dwellers were Arabised, thus, although the majority of Algerians are Berber in origin, most of them identify with Arab identity.

Carthage Era of Algeria

1249-1276, Coin of the Hafsids, Source

Phoenician merchants arrived in the North African coast in 900 BC and founded Carthage in what is present-day Tunisia. During the classical era, Berber civilization was at a point in which trade, manufacturing, agriculture, and political organization supported a number of states. Trade relationships between the Berbers and Carthage in the villages grew, but regional extension also led to military recruitment or enslavement of a number of Berbers.

The Carthaginians were able to expand and establish small villages along the North African coast. By 600 BC a Phoenician presence was present at Hippo Reguis modern-day Annaba, Rusicade modern-day Skikda, and Tipasa east of Chrechell. These villages served as ports and market towns. 

In the early 4th century BC, the Berbers made up the single largest component of the Carthaginian army and they rebelled from 241 to 238 BC due to lack of payment following the defeat of the Carthage in the First Punic War. The Berbers soldiers were able to obtain control of most of Carthage’s territory in North Africa. The Carthaginian state collapsed as a result of consecutive defeats by the Romans in the Punic Wars and Carthage city was finally destroyed in 146 BC.

As Carthaginian power diminished, the influence of the Berbers leaders grew. By the 2nd century BC, a number of big but slackly governed Berber kingdoms had been formed. Two of the kingdoms were founded in Numidia, behind the coastal regions governed by Carthage. West of Numidia was Mauretania, which extended across the Moulouya River in present-day Morocco to the Atlantic Ocean. The high point of Berber civilization was unmatched until the arrival of the Almoravids and Almohads more than a millennium later and was reached during the reign of Massinissa in the 2nd century BC.

Algeria's Roman Empire Era

After Massinissa died in 148 BC, the Berber kingdoms were split and reunified a number of times. Massinissa’s lineage lived on until 24 AD when the remaining Berber territory was seized by the Roman Empire. The Romans governed Algeria for several centuries and they established numerous colonies in the territory. Like the other regions in North Africa, Algeria was among the breadbaskets of the empire, exporting agricultural products.

The Germanic Vandals of Geiseric migrated into North Africa in 429 and by 435 they had control of the coastal Numidia region. They, however, did not make any noteworthy settlement on the region since they were harassed by the native communities. In fact by the time Byzantines moved to the region, Lepsic Magna was deserted and the Msellata area was inhabited by the local Laguatan who were busy facilitating an Amazigh cultural, military, and political revival.

Arab Rule in Algeria

Old Post Office in Alger Port Said, Algeria, SourceAlgeria was conquered by the Arabs in the mid-7th century and most of the local people convert to the new faith, Islam. When the Umayyad Caliphate fell, many other local dynasties were developed. Some of them were Rustamids, Aghlabids, Abdalwadid, Almohads, Zirids, Almoravids, Hammadids, and the Fatimids.

The Umayyad Caliphate was stationed in Damascus and it was in 711BC when the dynasty, with help from Berber converts, conquered the whole of North Africa. The Umayyads were succeeded by the Abbasids who shifted the caliphate to Baghdad. The Rustumid imamate which was under the Abbasids governed central Maghrib from Tahirt, southwest of Algiers. The imams acquired a reputation for piety, honestly, and justice but they failed to establish a reliable army which made it easy for the Fatimid dynasty to invade the region and take over governance. The Fatimids were, however, focused on Egypt and other Muslims lands thus leaving the governance of most of Algeria to the Zirids, a Berber dynasty. This era was faced with a lot of conflict, economic decline and political instability.

Spanish Enclaves in Algeria

The Spanish expansionist policy in North Africa started with the regent Cisneros and the Catholic Monarchs once the Reconquista in the Iberian Peninsula was completed. As a result, several outposts and towns in the Algerian coast were seized and occupied: Mers El Kébir (1505), Oran (1509), Algeirs (1510), and Bugia (1510). Spain used these outposts to collect tributes.

Ottoman Rule in Algeria

The Ottomans partially ruled over Algeria for three decades from 1516 to 1830. Under the regency of Khair ad Din, Algiers became the heart of Ottoman rule in the country. Algeria was a province of the Ottoman Empire and a normal Ottoman administration was formed and governors referred to as pasha governed the different regions. The formal language was Turkish and Berbers and Arabs were not given any government posts. Algiers remained a section of the Ottoman Empire but the Ottoman government ceased having any effectual influence there.

During this era the European maritime powers paid tribute that was demamded by the governors of the privateering nations of North Africa (Morocco, Tripoli, Tunis, and Algiers) so as to avert attacks on their shipping. In 1815, Algiers found itself at war with Naples, Spain, Russia, Denmark, Prussia, and the Netherlands due to piracy. Algeria and the neighbouring regions, collectively referred to as the Barbary States were responsible for piracy in the Mediterranean Sea and also the enslavement of Christians. These actions landed them into the First and Second Barbary War with the United States of America.

French Rule in Algeria

French rule in Algeria began in 1830 when France seized and occupied the coastal regions of Algeria. French rule slowly extended southwards, and came to have a lot of impact on the region and the locals. By 1848, the majority of the northern region was under French governance which established three ‘civil territories’- Oran, Algiers, and Constantine - as French local administrative units under a civilian government.

The locals, most of whom were Muslims were repressed by the French government throughout the years and this caused them a lot of dissatisfaction. The Muslim population demanded for more political autonomy and independence from French. In 1954, tension between the two populations was at its peak and violent cases of what would later be known as the Algerian War started. The attacks on the French government were conducted by the National Liberation Front both in Algeria and France. The war finally came to an end in 1962 when Algeria attained full sovereignty following the March 1962 Evian agreements and the July 1962 self-determination referendum.

Independent Algeria, 1962-Present

1943, Soldiers in El Menabha, Algeria, Source

Ahmed Ben Bella, leader of the National Liberation Front was elected as Algeria’s first president in 1962. His governance was authoritarian and in 1965, he was overthrown by Houari Boumediene who continued with the same trend. He implemented a programme of industrialization within a state-controlled socialist economy. His successor, Chadli Bendjedid introduced a few liberal economic reforms to help boost the country’s economy. Algeria’s economy was too dependent on oil and when oil prices fell during the 1908s oil glut, the country faced a lot of hardship which led to social unrest.

Towards the end of the decade, Bendjedid introduced a multi-party system and a number of political parties were formed, for instance the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), which was a wide union of Muslim groups. In December 1991, the Islamic Salvation Front won the first two rounds of the legislative elections and the authorities, in fear of an Islamist government, stepped in on 11 January 1992 and cancelled the elections. The High Council of State was appointed to act as Presidency after Bendjedid’s resignation. The Council banned the FIS, thus setting off a civil insurgency amid the Armed Islamic Group and the national armed forces.

In 1999, the country held elections which were worn by President Abdelaziz Boutefika. His mission was to bring back political stability to the nation. He declared a ‘Civil Concord’ programme, which was endorsed in a referendum, under which numerous political prisoners were forgiven, and some members of the armed groups were accorded exemption from trial under a limited amnesty. This was in force until 13 January 2000.

In the April 2004 presidential election, Bouteflika was re-elected following his campaign on a plan of nationwide reconciliation. The plan included political, institutional, economic and social reforms to make the country modern, deal with the sources of alienation, and raise the living standards. The plan also comprised a second amnesty initiative, the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation that was endorsed in a referendum in September 2005.

The country’s constitution was amended in November 2008 following a vote in parliament to remove the two-term limit on Presidential candidates. This amendment enabled Bouteflika to vie for another term and he was re-elected in the 2009 presidential elections.

There were a continued series of protests in the whole country that started on 28 December 2010. These protests were triggered by the same protests across North Africa and the Middle East. On 24 February 2011, Algeria’s 19-year old state of emergency was lifted by the government. The government also adopted legislation dealing with the electoral code, political parties and women representation in elected institutions. In April the same year, the president promised more political and constitutional reforms.

Elections are, however, still criticized by opposition parties as being biased and international human rights groups say that harassment of political rivals and media censorship continue.