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Colonial Resistance
Ahmed Bey of Constantine
Colonial resistance
Warriors & ResistanceOttoman era (1826–1848)Constantine
His failed defense of Constantine in 1837 still cost the French one of their highest-ranking officers in the campaign.
Historical significance
He embodied resistance in eastern Algeria and showed that the colonial conquest would face a stubborn, organized opposition far beyond the capital.
Their story
Last Ottoman bey of Constantine, Ahmed Bey turned the cliff-top city into a stronghold of resistance after the fall of Algiers. He fought off a first French assault in 1836 and continued the struggle from the eastern mountains long after the city itself was taken.
Did you know?
His failed defense of Constantine in 1837 still cost the French one of their highest-ranking officers in the campaign.