The Spanish literary and historical writings on «Algeria» between the 16th and 18th century according translation of the articles of the late Pr. Ahmed Abi Ayad

Researchers studying the modern history of Algeria find in the available writings evidence of the presence of numerous ancient and prestigious civilizations along the Algerian coasts, particularly in the cities of Oran and Algiers, which are considered among the oldest cultural cities in the country. Many cultures have contributed to shaping their identity, and the architectural forms of buildings (mosques, churches, cemeteries, mausoleums, caves, etc.), reflecting French, Spanish, and Ottoman influences, show that different peoples settled in these cities. These populations spoke several languages, including franca lingua.

These cultural influences are reflected especially in European, and in particular Spanish, writings—by travelers, consuls, merchants, spies, and prisoners who lived in Algeria for certain periods. These texts illustrate the historical and literary presence of Oran and Algiers between the 16th and 18th centuries, when Oran was under Spanish rule and Algiers under Ottoman administration. This period offered many Spanish authors the opportunity to compose poetic and prose works documenting this significant historical era.

It is within this context that professors and students of Spanish at the University of Oran took an interest in consulting archival materials preserved in libraries in the Spanish capital, Madrid, concerning the Spanish occupation of Oran.

This historical research, which touches upon various cities in the country, clearly demonstrates Algeria’s interest in better understanding its history through the documentation of major events that shaped it. Many national and international conferences have been held in Algeria in recent years, including “Jijel: History and Heritage” and “135th Anniversary of the Battle of El-Mektâa”, with Oran receiving a prominent share of these meetings. These writings on Oran and Algiers aim to provide researchers and specialists with testimonies, information, and details on questions related to Oran and Algerian memory.

Since translation serves as a bridge between peoples, civilizations, and cultures, we propose translating a selection of valuable articles by the late Professor Abou Ayyad Ahmed, previously published in Spanish and French in various national and international journals, particularly Spanish ones. This initiative addresses the lack of translation output in Algeria due to dispersed individual efforts in this field. We have selected texts in Spanish and French to translate into Arabic. These articles constitute an important reference for students of literature, languages, history, and anthropology due to their rich content and their significance for Arab readers, as important historical, cultural, and literary documents addressing Algeria’s cultural and social issues in key historical periods. This translation work will enrich both the Algerian and Arab library and contribute to filling the urgent need for such knowledge.

Among the selected articles:

Professor Abou Ayyad revisits the Spanish bombardment of Algiers in 1775, when the city was under Ottoman rule and governed by the beys of the Algerian Eyalet. He recalls historical events, particularly the attack led by Hassan Pasha, son of Admiral Barberousse, to liberate Oran and Mers el-Kebir from Spanish occupation, and examines the impact of these wars on the shared literary output between Spain and Algeria. Most Arabic prose and poetry of the period praised Hassan Pasha, celebrated his victories, and included religious references urging jihad against the Christian Spanish occupiers, sometimes concluding with prayers for the conqueror’s success.The article “The Spanish Bombardment of the Algerian Eyalet in 1783 and 1784 through Certain Spanish Literary Sources” is of great importance. It examines the role of Algiers as a defensive fortress of Islam against European and Spanish raids, particularly the bombardments by Diego de Vera in 1516 and Hugo de Moncada in 1518, and the failure of Emperor Charles V at the city walls in 1541. It also addresses other European campaigns, French and Danish alike, as well as the signing of a treaty of friendship and commercial cooperation between the Eyalet and the Sublime Porte in 1782, which strengthened Algiers’ strategic position in the Mediterranean until the French conquest in 1830.As the central historical event in these articles is the Spanish presence in Algeria and Oran under Ottoman rule, other historical phenomena accompany the texts, notably piracy and the taking of captives, widespread in the Mediterranean during the 16th and 17th centuries. Captured sailors were imprisoned in Algiers and employed in various services, and figures such as Miguel de Cervantes (1575–1580) were direct witnesses of this practice, which influenced their literary production.In 1581, Philip II assigned Cervantes a secret mission to Oran, where he traveled as a soldier and former prisoner. Oran, then a Spanish enclave, inspired Cervantes, particularly for his comedy El Gallardo Español, which references the siege of Oran and Mers el-Kebir in 1563 and the positioning of Spanish soldiers following repeated attacks on Oran’s forts. The narrative blends historical reality with fiction, including romantic stories between Christians and Muslims, symbolizing religious tolerance not prevalent at the time.The article “Algeria: A Crucial Phase in Cervantes’ Writings and Thought” examines the defense of Algiers against European raids, particularly Spanish ones, and the role of the Algerian navy. The Eyalet, where Cervantes lived as a prisoner for five years, inspired his Algerian works after his release, giving symbolic and literary dimensions to his captivity that were essential in shaping his authorial consciousness. The researcher cites poems and passages from Cervantes to highlight Algeria’s historical importance and correct the often distorted negative image of the country.

Finally, the author analyzes the aesthetic dimensions, spatial and temporal significance of literary texts, as in El Gallardo Español, considered one of Cervantes’ major works about Oran in the early modern period, recounting key episodes of the conflict with Spanish occupation in Oran and Mers el-Kebir in 1504 and 1509. It blends military history with fictional romantic narratives, preserving the historical memory of Spanish-Algerian relations.