ABB-EL-KADER, properly El-Hadji-Abd-el-Kader-Ulid-Mabiddin, is the descendant of a Marabout family of the race of Ilaschem, who trace their pedigree to the caliphs of the lineage of Fatima. He was born at Glietna, an educational institution of the :Mara bouts near Mascara, which belonged to his family. his father, who died in 1E34, being esteemed a very holy man, had exercised great influence over his countrymen, which influence he bequeathed to his son. In his eighth year A. a pilgrimage to Mecca with his father; and in 1827 he visited Egypt, where, in Cairo and Alexandria, he first came in contact with western civilization. Religious enthusiasm and melancholy were the most prominent features of his character. He early showed an uncommonly gifted mind, and at the chief school of Fez lie acquired such knowledge as composes Arabian science. A. was free from the savage cruelty, as well as from the sensuality, of the Arabs; he maintained purity of manners, and did not suffer himself to be misled by anger or passion. Although lie firmly adhered to the faith of his nation, and used their fanaticism as one of his most important sources of influence, vet he had no sympathy with the fanatical intolerance of the majority among them. His public career began at the time of the conquest of Algiers by the French. No sooner was the power of the Turks broken, than the Arabian tribes of the province of Oran seized the opportunity to make themselves independent. Having got possession of Mascara, they elected A. as their emir. who soon succeeded in establishing his authority over a numbkr of the neigh boring tribes. He now attacked the French; and some bloody battles, fmight on Dec. 3, 1833, and :ran. 6, 1834, against Gen. Desmichels, then commanding in Oran. obliged the latter to enter into a treaty with him. In the interior of the country the power of A. now spread in an alarming way. In consequence of victories over neighboring chiefs, he became master of Miliana and Medeah. All the cities and tribes of the provinces of Oran and Tik'ri acknowledged A. as their sultan; the more distant tribes sent him ambassadors with presents. 'It was not long before hostilities broke out between him and the French. The commencement was favorable to him, for the first operations of Gen. Tretzel led to that fatal retreat, during which the French army was attacked at Makta. on .Tune 28. 1835, by the whole assembled forces of A., amounting
to nearly 20.000 cavalry, and suffered a disgraceful defeat.
After a protracted struggle of six years, A. found himsel f obliged (1841) to take refuge in Maroeco. Here he succeeded in getting up a sort of crusade against the enemies of Isknit and the arms of France were now turned against Marocco for the countenance given to 3. After the decisive battle of Isly (1844) the sultan was obliged to give up A.'s cause, hut soon found that the latter was at least his equal in power, and that he could not even prevent him from marching out of Nedent to attack the French again, both in Oct. 1845, and in Mar. 1S47. But the star Of A. was now about to set. In the night of the 11th Dee. lie made a bold attack on the Moorish camp, in which he was defeated and had to resolve on flight. Ile might easily have secured his own safety, but lie would not abandon his attached followers, men, women, and. children, to the plunder and massacre of the Maroccaus. After a heroic combat on the 21st December, he effected their retreat across the Muluia into the territory of Algerie, where they mostly surrendered to the French. He himself, with a few horsemen, resolved to fight his way through to the south; but coming to the Pass of Kerbous, he found the way closed and was received with musketry. Dispirited at length, A. surrendered, on Dec. 22, 1817, to Gen. Lamoricitife and the Due d'Aumale, upon condition that he should be permitted to withdraw either to Egypt or to St. Jean d'Acre. The French govern ment refused to ratify this agreement. A. was sent with his family to Toulon, whence he was removed in 1848 to 'Pan, and finally to the Château d'Amboise. Lib4rated in 1852 by Louis Napoleon, he lived at Brussa, in Asia Minor, till its destruction by an earthquake in 1855. IIe then, for a time, lived in Constantinople, but made his home in Damascus. He was of great service to humanity during the Syrian massacres of 1860. In 1865 he visited Paris and England, and was present at the 'Paris exhibition in 1867 In his retirement he wrote a religious work, a translation of which was pub lished at Paris, 1858, under the title, Rappel d C intelligent : arras a l'indiferent.