French–Tripolitania War facts for kids
Quick facts for kids French-Tripolitania War (1681-1685) |
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 Bombardment of Chios by the fleet of Admiral Duquesne in 1681 |
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 France |
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The French-Tripolitania War (1681-1685) was a conflict between France and the North African states of Tripoli and Tunis. It was part of a larger effort by France to stop the Barbary Pirates in the 1680s.
Contents
What Caused the War?
In June 1681, sea robbers from Tripoli captured French merchant ships. This happened off the coast of Provence, a region in France.
Louis XIV, the King of France, decided to act. He sent Admiral Abraham Duquesne with nine ships. Their mission was to find and stop these pirates.
Admiral Duquesne tracked the pirates to Chios. This island had recently been taken over by the Ottoman Empire. The pirates were hiding there.
The Attack on Chios (1681)
Admiral Duquesne sent a messenger, M. de Saint-Amand, to Chios. He told the governor of Chios to hand over the pirates. If the governor refused, Duquesne threatened to destroy the port and forts. The governor said no.
On July 23, 1681, Duquesne ordered his ships to attack. They began to bombard the city and its port. The French fired so strongly that the pirate fleet, forts, and port were badly damaged. This happened in less than four hours.
A Turkish report from that time described the attack. It said, "The French infidels came to Scio. They fired for four hours on the vessels of Tripoli Barbary. They also damaged the fortresses and the mosques." Many Greek people on the island were hurt. Several Orthodox churches were also hit.
Diplomatic Troubles
Even with the constant attack, the pirates would not give up. The French then set up a blockade around the port. This caused problems with the Ottoman Empire. France was interfering with their control over Chios.
King Louis XIV did not want a war with the Ottomans. France had important business interests with them. To calm things down, Louis made French merchants in Constantinople pay a large sum of money. They paid 80,000 Crowns to the Turkish authorities.
A Failed Peace Deal
After several weeks of blockade, the pirates finally surrendered. They agreed to a peace deal. This treaty was signed in late December 1681. It supposedly ended the war, and all captured slaves were freed.
However, when the pirate captains returned to Tripoli, their leader, the Dey, rejected the peace. He had the captains executed. This meant France would need to take more action in 1685.
The Attack on Tripoli (1685)
In 1685, another French admiral, Jean II d'Estrées, led an attack. His forces heavily damaged large parts of Tripoli. This made the Dey of Tripoli agree to France's terms.
The destruction in Tripoli caused panic in nearby Tunis. The ruler of Tunis decided to surrender without a fight. He agreed to pay France for the cost of the expedition. He also freed all Christian captives.
