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Ottoman Period
Baba Ali Chaouch
Ottoman period
Leaders & StatesmenEarly 18th centuryAlgiers
From his rule onward, the dey of Algiers was effectively the country's true ruler.
Historical significance
His reforms turned the Regency of Algiers into a near-autonomous state within the Ottoman Empire.
Their story
A senior officer of the janissaries, Baba Ali Chaouch took power in Algiers in 1710 and reshaped its relationship with Istanbul. He stopped sending the customary tribute to the sultan and insisted that Algiers be governed by a dey chosen locally, not a pasha sent from the capital.
Did you know?
From his rule onward, the dey of Algiers was effectively the country's true ruler.