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Moulay Ismail (who ruled
Morocco from 1672–1727) used
mostly European slaves on the
construction of his new capital at
Meknes. Death tolls were high and
his total consumption of slaves may
have been several hundred
thousand. He also sold slaves back
to Europe for exorbitant sums.
After the American Revolution
(1775–83) and independence, the
United States could no longer rely on
the protection of the British navy and,
like other European nations, agreed
to pay tribute to the Barbary states
for unmolested passage into and
through the Mediterranean. In May
1801, the United States refused to
succumb to the increasing demands
for tribute by the Pasha of Tripoli, as
a result of which the First Barbary
War (1801–05) was declared. While
Tripoli was not a strong power, and
little effort would have been
necessary to blockade it, it was feared
that the other Barbary powers would
join in against the United States.
The Barbary Wars were mostly
naval conflicts, beginning with the
Tripoli conflict and later with that of
Algiers (Second Barbary War 1815).
Although annual payments had
been maintained to the other
Barbary states, Algiers continued to
seize American merchantmen, for
which increased payments were
demanded and secured. As a result,
the United States declared war on
Algiers, following which a treaty,
humiliating to the once-proud
piratical state, was secured, whereby
no future payments would be made,
all American property would be
restored, Christian slaves would be
emancipated, reparation would be
made for a merchantman recently
seized, and civilized treatment
would be accorded to prisoners-of-
war. Tunis and Tripoli were forced to
accept equally stringent terms, and
an American presence remained in
A Concise History of Africa
OPPOSITE:
Old Algiers where the
majority of European Christian slaves
were kept.
BELOW:
Meknes, Morocco was founded
by Moulay Ismail.
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