Medal - Ferdinand Philippe d’Orléans, duc de Chartres Bombardment of Tanger and Mogador

(en) MH# 201

Commemoration of the Bombardment of Tangier, Morocco on August 6th, 1844. Morocco had given its support to Abd-el-Kader of Algeria in his struggle against French domination. In retaliation, King Louis-Philippe of France demanded reparations. The Sultan of Morocco, Abd al-Rahman ibn Hicham, answered evasively to these demands, and on the morning of August 6th, the French Navy launched an attack on the city of Tangier. Despite the city's efforts to retaliate it was destroyed. The French squadron, consisting of the Jemmapes, the Suffren, the Triton, the Argus and Cassard brigades, and the Belle-Poule brigade, as well as some steamships, proceeded to Mogador, Morocco (now Essaouria) and arrived in the area on August 12. On the 14th, 500 men disembarked there before rushing to attack the town, which fell. In October of 1844, Morocco officially recognized Algeria as a colony of the French Empire via the signing of the Treaty of Tangier.