The Berlin Conference and the Bombardment of Algiers 1682: Louis XIV's Crusade

In the 1680s, the Barbary corsairs of Algiers were at the height of their power, capturing European ships and enslaving thousands. France's King Louis XIV, the Sun King, decided to teach them a lesson. This episode explores the 1682 bombardment of Algiers led by Admiral Abraham Duquesne, the first large-scale use of bomb vessels — specialized ships capable of hurling explosive shells over city walls. We delve into the political context: Louis's rivalry with the Dutch, his alliance with the Ottoman sultan, and his desire to protect French Mediterranean trade. The episode also covers the Dey of Algiers, Mezzo-Morto, and the brutal slave trade that fueled the corsair economy. What happened when the French fleet arrived? And why did the bombardment ultimately fail to end the corsair threat? We uncover the tactical innovations and diplomatic maneuvers behind this forgotten chapter. #LouisXIV #BarbaryCorsairs #BombardmentOfAlgiers1682 #AbrahamDuquesne #DeyMezzoMorto #BombVessels #FrenchNavy #SunKing #Algiers #SlaveTrade #MediterraneanHistory #17thCentury #EarlyModernWarfare #OttomanEmpire #Piracy #NavalHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo