Medal - Henri d'Orléans Surrender of Emir Abdelkader

Reverse

10-lines French inscription within wreath

Script: Latin

Lettering:
NEMOURS.
25 DÉCEMBRE 1847.
L'ÉMIR ABD-EL-KADER
APRÈS 14 ANS DE LUTTE,
A FAIT SA SOUMISSION
ENTRE LES MAINS
DE S.A.R.
M.LE DUC D'AUMALE
GOUVERNEUR GÉNÉRAL
DE L'ALGÉRIE

Translation:
Nemours
25 December 1847
The Emir Abdelkader
after 14 years of control,
made his submission
between hands
of S.A.R.
M.LE Duke of Aumale
Governor-General
of Algeria

Engraver: Maurice Borrel

Edge

Plain

Comment

Emir Abdelkader was ultimately forced to surrender. His failure to get support from eastern tribes, apart from the Berbers of western Kabylie, had contributed to the quelling of the rebellion, and a decree from Abd al-Rahman of Morocco following the Treaty of Tangiers had outlawed the Emir from his entire kingdom. On 21 December 1847, Abdelkader surrendered to General Louis de Lamoricière in exchange for the promise that he would be allowed to go to Alexandria or Acre. He supposedly commented on his own surrender with the words, "And God undoes what my hand has done" (although this is probably apocryphal). His request was granted, and two days later his surrender was made official to the French Governor-General of Algeria, Henri d'Orléans, duc d'Aumale, to whom Abdelkader symbolically handed his war-horse. Ultimately, however, the French government refused to honour Lamoricière's promise: Abdelkader was shipped to France and, instead of being allowed to carry on to the East, ended up being kept in captivity.