Encyclopaedia Judaica
Jews in Algeria 02: Turkish rule 1516-1830
Turkish discrimination against Jews by Turkish greed
- Jewish upper class - massacre of 1805
from: Algeria; In: Encyclopaedia Judaica 1971, vol. 2
presented by Michael Palomino (2007)
[since 16th century:
Turkish dominance in Algeria - cooperation with the Jewish
upper class]
<Generally, from the 16th century the situation of the
southern Jews was better than that of their coreligionists
in the centers under Turkish domination. The Turks were the
ruling class who had come to exploit the country, and they
treated the natives, both Muslims and Jews, roughly. Most
Jews, living in separate quarters, were at their mercy. They
increased the restrictions imposed on Jews in Islamic
countries more through greed than fanaticism.
On the other hand, the "sovereign" deys, chosen by the
Janissaries, and the beys, governors of provinces, humored
the upper-class Jews, from among whom they chose their
counselors, physicians, financiers, and diplomats. The
Muslim rulers charged these diplomats with the difficult
assignment of maintaining relations with European powers, a
task that was complicated by the pirate raids on European
ships condoned by the Algerian rulers. It was usually the
wealthy and influential Jews originally from Leghorn
[[Livorno]], the
Gorenim
who received these assignments. Their high positions could
not, however, protect them against the violence of the
Janissaries who resented the favors the Jews received from
the dey.
[1805: assassination of
Naphtali Busnach - massacre against Jews]
The assassination in 1805 of the dey's chief aide, the
powerful Naphtali Busnach, was followed by the only massacre
of Jews to take place in Algiers.> (col. 615)
