Odjak of Algiers Revolution

Aghas Revolution
Regimental flag of the Janissary Odjak of Algiers
DateJune to September 1659 [1]: 163 
LocationRegency of Algiers
Organized byAlgerians
taïfa of raïs
Odjak of Algiers
Outcome

The Revolution of the Odjak, also known as the Aghas Revolution[3] or the Revolution of 1659 was an important military revolution that changed the essential bases of the government of the Ottoman Regency of Algiers,[4] as well as its relations with the imperial centre in Istanbul. Taking place during a period of transformation of the Ottoman Empire, and lasting from June to September 1659, it was largely viewed as a result of the loss of the importance that the Regency previously had for Constantinople back in the 16th century; decades of marginalization demonstrated through the appointment of incompetent governors and diverging interests regarding relations with European powers,[5] made both the Barbary corsairs and the janissaries of Algiers less inclined to commit themselves to the Ottoman cause.[6] This culminated in the rise of the janissary Odjak corps as the most prominent faction of the Ottoman Algerian political elite.[7]

At the end of Pasha Ibrahim's reign as the Ottoman governor (1656–1659), a massive uprising arose against him, led by the corsair captains and Odjak soldiers. As for the raïs, they revolted because Pasha Ibrahim had deprived them of the sums of money allocated to them by the Ottoman Empire as compensation for their losses in the Adriatic.[2] And his payment of bribes to the statesmen in Constantinople to keep him in office. For this reason, the corsairs attacked his palace, arrested him, and imprisoned him. The Odjak soldiers were constantly trying to seize opportunities to assume power, and they found in this incident an opportunity for them, so they carried out a sudden coup against the pasha.[8] The janissaries effectively eliminated the authority of the pasha, whose position became only ceremonial,[9] and agreed to assign executive authority to the Diwân of Algiers headed by the commander-in-chief of the Algerian Odjak, Khalil Agha.[1]: 207 

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :9 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Shuval, Tal (2013-09-30). La ville d'Alger vers la fin du XVIIIe siècle: Population et cadre urbain (in French). CNRS Éditions via OpenEdition. p. 14. ISBN 978-2-271-07836-0.
  4. ^ Galerie littéraire scientifique et d'anecdotes recueil choisi de productions diverses (in French). p. 114.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :16 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Soucek, Svat (2015). Ottoman Maritime Wars, 1416–1700. Istanbul: The Isis Press. pp. 119–124. ISBN 978-975-428-554-3.
  7. ^ Christine Woodhead (2012). The Ottoman world. Internet Archive. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon ; New York : Routledge. pp. 271–273. ISBN 978-0-415-44492-7.
  8. ^ يحيى, بو عزيز (2009). الموجز فى تاريخ الجزائر (in Arabic). p. 42.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :22 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).