Ottoman Algeria in Western Diplomatic History with ... - Bibliothèque

compensation for the occupation of the Bastion of France, a trading privilege;
in practice, it functioned like an annual rent. 59
That ‘deal’ or practical
arrangement with France, which later developed to become custom, originally
implied a simplified meaning: an exchange of privilege for tribute. 60 In 1729,
Sweden signed a similar treaty in which tribute “was a self-evident part of the
agreement.” 61
Austria (1727), Denmark (1746), Hamburg (1751), Venice
(1764), the United States of America (1795), and Portugal (1810) signed
treaties on a similar basis. 62 Overall, tribute was an integral part of all treaties
between Algiers and the Christian countries even though interpretations varied
on the opposite sides of the Mediterranean.
Tribute, or ‘Al-Jizya’ in Islamic legal tradition, is perceived differently
by Muslims and Christians hence its complications. By definition, tribute (from
Latin tributum meaning to give or to pay) has a two-fold meaning: in a first
meaning tribute refers to any sum of money or other valuable thing one party
gives to another in token of respect or, “of submission or allegiance.” 63 In its
second meaning, tribute “incorporate[s] certain aspects of regulated trade in
goods and services between the parties under a contractual relationship formed
upon duress.” 64 This double meaning is at the root of divergent interpretations
among Muslims and Christians in late 18 th and early 19 th centuries. While
59 The terms were renewed in the treaties of 1679, and 1684 (Article IX), Card, Traités de la France, p.
38 and 43 respectively.
60 Later, the Americans did not understand, or pretended not to understand, this principle. In short, they
wanted trading privileges without paying a counterpart for that.
61 Muller, Consuls, Corsairs, and Commerce, p. 59.
62 Belhamissi, Captifs Algériens, pp. 113-14 ; Shaler, Sketches of Algiers, pp. 35, 39; Panzac,
Corsaires barbaresques, pp. 279-81.
63 “Tribute,” Wikipedia Encyclopedia. (Accessed 1 April 2008).
http://dictionnaire.sensagent.com/tribute/en-en/#wikipedia
64 Ibid.
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