Bombardment of Algiers
1816
With the Napoleonic Wars over, Britain set out to end the enslavement of Christians by the Barbary states. In the spring of 1816 Lord Exmouth negotiated the release of slaves at Tunis and Tripoli, but at Bona, in Algerian territory, soldiers massacred some 200 Italian, Corsican and Sicilian fishermen under British protection. Exmouth returned with a fleet, joined at Gibraltar by a Dutch squadron, and on 27 August 1816 anchored right under the batteries of Algiers and destroyed the Algerian fleet and much of the defences in a day-long bombardment. The Dey agreed to free all his Christian slaves and give up slavery of Europeans.
How the fleets moved
Click a route to see which ships made it, or a battle for its summary. Routes are approximate.
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British movement
Battle (size: ships engaged)
Routes are approximate.
Battles
In date order.
27 August 1816
Bombardment of AlgiersAlgiers
Anglo-Dutch victory; the Algerian fleet destroyed and the Christian slaves freed
25
vs
4 (4 lost)
Fleets
Each navy's ships in the war, from its biggest down.