Abd el-Kader
1808–1883 · Algerian · French Colonization of Algeria
Known for: Led Algerian resistance against France for 15 years; later praised worldwide for protecting Christians in Damascus
Abd el-Kader was a Sufi mystic and Islamic scholar who became Algeria's greatest military leader out of necessity. He organized Algerian resistance into a proto-state with its own government, army, and judicial system, fighting the French for 15 years with remarkable effectiveness.
After surrendering in 1847, he was imprisoned in France. After his release, he settled in Damascus, where in 1860 he personally intervened to protect thousands of Christians during anti-Christian riots—an act that earned him international acclaim, the French Legion of Honor, and the admiration of Abraham Lincoln.
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