The Treaty with Algiers, signed on June 30, 1815, marked a significant moment in American

foreign policy Foreign policy, also known as external policy, is the set of strategies and actions a State (polity), state employs in its interactions with other states, unions, and international entities. It encompasses a wide range of objectives, includ ...

and

maritime law Maritime law or admiralty law is a body of law that governs nautical issues and private maritime disputes. Admiralty law consists of both domestic law on maritime activities, and private international law governing the relationships between pri ...

, concluding the

Second Barbary War The Second Barbary War, also known as the U.S.–Algerian War and the Algerine War, was a brief military conflict between the United States and the North African state of Algiers in 1815. Piracy had been rampant along the North African "Barb ...

between the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and the

Regency of Algiers The Regency of Algiers was an Early modern period, early modern semi-independent Administrative divisions of the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman province and nominal Tributary states of the Ottoman Empire, vassal state on the Barbary Coast of North Afr ...

. This treaty was pivotal in establishing a framework for peace and trade relations, while also addressing the issue of American captives held by Algerian forces.

Provisions

End of tribute payments

Article II explicitly stated that no tribute or presents would be required from the United States by Algiers under any circumstances. This was a significant departure from previous agreements that had mandated such payments.

Release of captives

The treaty mandated the immediate release of all American prisoners held by Algiers without any ransom. At that time, approximately 83 Americans were freed as a result of this agreement.

Compensation for damages

The

Dey Dey (, from ) was the title given to the rulers of the regencies of Algiers, Tripolitania,Bertarelli (1929), p. 203. and Tunis under the Ottoman Empire from 1671 onwards. Twenty-nine ''deys'' held office from the establishment of the deylicate ...

agreed to pay $10,000 as compensation for property taken from American citizens during previous conflicts.

Trade rights

The treaty granted U.S. ships full trading privileges in ports that recognized Algerian authority, thereby enhancing American commercial interests in the Mediterranean region.

Most-favored-nation In international economic relations and international politics, most favoured nation (MFN) is a status or level of treatment accorded by one state to another in international trade. The term means the country which is the recipient of this treatme ...
clause

The treaty included a clause ensuring that any trade privileges granted to other nations would automatically extend to the United States.

Ratification and aftermath

The U.S. Senate ratified the treaty on December 5, 1815, marking an end to hostilities with Algiers. However, shortly after its ratification, Dey Omar repudiated the agreement due to internal pressures and continued piracy against American vessels persisted until further military actions were taken. In 1816, following a combined Anglo-Dutch bombardment of Algiers, a new U.S. squadron arrived under

William Shaler William Shaler (1773 – March 29, 1833) was an American writer, ethnographer, diplomat and confidential agent, assigned to Algiers, Mexico and Cuba. Life and career William Shaler was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1773. His mother, S ...

which led to another treaty being negotiated on December 23, 1816. This subsequent treaty reaffirmed many provisions of the original agreement but was not ratified by the Senate until February 11, 1822.

References

External links

Text of the Treaty
1815 treaties June 1815 1815 in the United States

Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...

Algeria–United States relations Treaties of the Regency of Algiers Second Barbary War 19th century in Algiers 1815 in the Ottoman Empire {{Treaty-stub