Battle of Isly

The Battle of Isly (Arabic: معركة إيسلي) was fought on August 14, 1844, between France and Morocco, near the Isly River [fr]. French forces under Marshal Thomas Robert Bugeaud routed a much larger, but poorly organized, Moroccan force, mainly fighters from the tribes of Beni Znassen, but also from the Beni Angad and Beni Oukil; under Muhammad, son of the Sultan of Morocco, Abd al-Rahman. Bugeaud, attempting to complete the French conquest of Algeria, instigated the battle without a declaration of war in order to force negotiations concerning Moroccan support for the Algerian resistance leader Abd el-Kader to conclude on terms favorable to the French who demanded the Sultan of Morocco to withdraw support for Abd el-Kader.

Bugeaud, who recovered the Moroccan commander's tent and umbrella (equivalent to capturing a military standard in European warfare), was made Duke of Isly for his victory.

The day following the battle, the Bombardment of Mogador started.

Since the Invasion of Algiers in 1830, Emir Abd el-Kader had taken lead of the tribes of the region of Mascara to oppose the French in 1832. A first treaty, signed by General Desmichels in 1834, was deemed too favorable to him. in 1837, Marshal Bugeaud was therefore instructed to sign a new one, the Treaty of Tafna, which required Abd el-Kader to recognize the sovereignty of France in North Africa, in exchange for which France recognized the authority of Abd el-Kader over a large part of Algeria; the whole Beylik of Oran (with the exception of the cities of Oran, Arzew, Mostaganem and Mazagran), the Beylik of Titteri and the Beylik of Algiers (with the exception of the cities of Algiers and Blida), as well as the plain of Mitidja and the Algerian Sahel [fr].

The Sultan of Morocco Abd al-Rahman attempted seizing Tlemcen from the French in October 1830. The Sultan sent 5,000 cavalry and infantry. Moroccan soldiers rampaged through the streets of Tlemcen, looting and fighting. The Sultan eventually had to retreat them in the face of French diplomatic and naval pressure.

He fled to Morocco looking to gain support to continue the war from the Sultan of Morocco Abd al-Rahman, as well as the concession of the territory located between Oujda and the Tafna River [fr]. Abd el-Kader had raised a real army, and in November 1839, supported by the Sultan of Morocco Abd al-Rahman, he declared war on France, following the crossing of the Bibans (Iron Gates) by the French army.

In reaction, the French then truly undertook the systematic conquest of the country, which the July monarchy made a reason for national pride and military heroism. This conquest was the work of Marshal Bugeaud, appointed governor in 1840. Algeria's major cities fell and Abd el-Kader saw his mobile encampment destroyed in Taguin in 1843 following the Battle of the Smala and was driven back into the desert. He then took refuge in Morocco, but, at the same time, the army of Sultan Abd al-Rahman was defeated at Isly [fr], while the French fleet bombarded the ports of Tangier and Mogador.

On the 30th of May, French troops of General Bedeau had to repel a Moroccan attack. The Moroccan Qaid crossed the border into Lalla Maghnia, a place sixty kilometres from Tlemcen, and attacked the French camp with his Moroccan cavalry. The attack was soon repulsed by General Lamoricière. The next day Marshal Bugeaud embarked at Algiers. On the 15th of June, Moroccan troops fired upon French troops, wounding Captain Daumas and two men, demanding that the border must be set back to the Tafna River [fr]. On the 19th, French troops occupied Oujda.