The French Authorities' Stance on the Endowments of the Holy Sanctuaries in Algeria during the Early French Occupation of Algeria 1830-1870 La position des autorités françaises sur les dotations des sanctuaires sacrés en Algérie au début de l'occupation française de l'Algérie 1830-1870

Abstract

This study seeks to explore the reaction of the French occupiers upon their arrival in Algeria in 1830, focusing on their handling of the endowments of the Holy Sanctuaries. The French colonizers executed a sequence of measures to appropriate these endowments, initiating with the September 8, 1830 decree, which ordered the seizure of the Turkish administration's properties, including the endowments meant for Mecca and Medina, thereby incorporating them into the state's domain. This initial measure was followed by the December 7, 1830 "Clauzel Decree," which placed these sacred endowments under the management of public properties.
The process continued with the October 1, 1844 decree that facilitated the sale of endowment lands to European settlers, culminating in the Warney Law of July 26, 1873, which resulted in the effective liquidation of religious institutions' endowments, particularly those associated with Mecca and Medina. This study aims to uncover the primary motivations behind the French actions to annex the Holy Sanctuaries' endowments, the legislative actions taken by the French in this regard, the Algerian resistance to these oppressive measures, and the subsequent consequences of this French policy. By using a descriptive historical method, the study delves into the causes, manifestations, and impacts of these dangerous French initiatives.