1808 Emir Abd al-Qadir was born

210 years ago, on September 6, 1808, Emir Abd al-Qadir, Algerian national hero, military leader, Sufi theologian, orator and poet, was born. In 1832, he led the fight against the French, who sought to conquer Algeria.

Abd al-Qadir managed to inflict a series of defeats on the French colonial troops and for a number of years to maintain the independence of most of Western Algeria. Only in 1847, having suffered a series of defeats, he was forced to surrender to the French and was imprisoned until 1852. Later, for the defense of Christians in Syria and Lebanon, Abd al-Qadir was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honor.