Algeria
1546 - Barbarossa united the Barbary states of North Africa, including Algeria, under the caliph of the Ottoman Empire
1795 - The U.S. paid tribute to the Barbary pirates to protect shipping
1801 - Barbary War until 1805
1830 - France began the occupation of Algeria.
1831 - The Zouaoua tribesmen from Algeria were organized into a fighting force, later called Zouaves, who wore colorful uniforms and fought for the French.
1856 - Napoleon III sent the magician Houdini to Algeria to impress the natives with the power of the Europeans and to prevent a rebellion. In 1998 Brian Moore wrote a novel based on the events of Houdini's visit, titled "The Magician's Wife."
1916 - French officer and monk Charles de Foucauld was murdered in an Algerian uprising and in 2005 was beatified by the pope.
1940 - Algeria and other French colonies came under the control of the pro-German Vichy French government.
1942 - Allied forces landed in North Africa in Operation Torch
1945 - France regained control of Algeria after the war, but opposition led to the formation of the National Liberation Front by 1951.
1954 - The Algerian War of Independence against the French began Oct. 31 led by muslims of the Front de Libération National (FLN). On Nov. 24, France sent 20,000 soldiers to put down the revolt.
1956 - France increased the size of its army in Algeria to 400,000. The urban Battle of Algiers began June 22. The rebel leader Ben Bella was arrested Oct. 22. The elite 10th Parachute Division put under the command of Gen. Jacques Massu on Oct. 28.
1958 - Charles de Gaulle became premier.
1960 - The Algerian conflict became a 3-way war when a right-wing military faction led by Gen. Raoul Salan fought against both the French army and the Algerian rebels.
1961 - The French parachutists revolted against the French army in Algeria.
1962 - Charles de Gaulle arranged an armistice and the 7-year war came to an end that had resulted in the deaths of 100,000 French and 1,000,000 Algerians; Algeria became independent on July 3 and a million refugees fled to France. Ben Bella was the first president until 1965.
1965 - Col. Houari Boumedienne overthrew Ben Bella June 19 and ruled until his death 1978.
1985 - The ban on rai music, characterized by a strong beat from the darbuka drum, was fianlly ended. In 1999 singer Cheb Mami recorded "Desert Rose" with Sting.
1989 - Muslim fundamentalists and the extremist Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) became a growing force in Algeria.
1992 - Violence increased as Muslim extremists fought against moderates until the referendum and amnesty of 2005.
1995 - The U.S. gained control of oil leases in Algeria.
1997 - The new Democratic National Rally and the moderate Islamic party, Movement of Society for Peace, won elections and control of the parliament.
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