Abstract

In 1572, Sultan Selim II appointed Arab Ahmed as the new governor of the Ottoman province of Algiers. His main task was to defend the sultan’s territories from the enemies of the Islamic faith, primarily the Spanish Monarchy. Nevertheless, having to face serious economic and social challenges owing to a local plague, he had no army or resources to rely on to protect his province. Therefore, while he was trying to implement health measures to prevent the spread of plague, Arab Ahmed entered into a series of diplomatic contacts with the Spaniards. Examining the correspondence between Algiers and Istanbul, as well as that of the Spanish diplomatic agents in Maghreb, the present study aims to assess the effects of the plague on the political choices made by the Ottoman governor of Algiers