Pierre Deval (diplomat)
Encyclopedia
Pierre Deval was French Consul-General in Algeria from 1814 to 1827. He is known for his diplomatic mission to the Regency of Algiers, and the diplomatic slights he received while there, which gave a pretext to the French invasion of Algiers in 1830.
Pierre Deval was member of a family which provided dragomans to the French diplomatic services to the Ottoman Empire
since 1716.
During the Napoleonic Wars
, the Regency of Algiers had greatly benefited from trade in the Mediterranean, and of the massive imports of food by France, largely bought on credit by France.
Pierre Deval visited the Dey of Algiers 29 April 1827. Hussein Dey
, Algeria's Ottoman ruler, demanded that the French pay a 31-year old debt, contracted in 1799 by purchasing supplies to feed the soldiers of the Napoleonic Campaign in Egypt. In the "Bacri-Busnach affair" in 1797 two Jewish traders of Algiers, Bacri and Busnach, had sold for 14 millions of wheat to the French Republic, which were never paid back. Hussein Dey, whose predeccesors had financed the deal and was now the creditor, had written to Louis XVIII, but in vain.
Pierre Deval refused to give answers satisfactory to the dey, and in an outburst of anger, Hussein Dey touched the consul with his fan. Charles X used this as an excuse to break diplomatic relations. The regency of Algiers would end with the French invasion of Algiers in 1830, and French rule last for the next 132 years.
Pierre Deval was member of a family which provided dragomans to the French diplomatic services to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
since 1716.
During the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, the Regency of Algiers had greatly benefited from trade in the Mediterranean, and of the massive imports of food by France, largely bought on credit by France.
Pierre Deval visited the Dey of Algiers 29 April 1827. Hussein Dey
Hussein Dey
Hussein Dey was the last ruler of Ottoman Algeria.Hussein Dey may also refer to:* Hussein Dey District, a district in Algeria* Hussein Dey...
, Algeria's Ottoman ruler, demanded that the French pay a 31-year old debt, contracted in 1799 by purchasing supplies to feed the soldiers of the Napoleonic Campaign in Egypt. In the "Bacri-Busnach affair" in 1797 two Jewish traders of Algiers, Bacri and Busnach, had sold for 14 millions of wheat to the French Republic, which were never paid back. Hussein Dey, whose predeccesors had financed the deal and was now the creditor, had written to Louis XVIII, but in vain.
Pierre Deval refused to give answers satisfactory to the dey, and in an outburst of anger, Hussein Dey touched the consul with his fan. Charles X used this as an excuse to break diplomatic relations. The regency of Algiers would end with the French invasion of Algiers in 1830, and French rule last for the next 132 years.