ABSTRACT
FrenchoccupationofAlgeria,whichbeganin1830,wasnotpartofa systematicplanforaNorthMricanEmpire.Francevacillatedfor severalyearsbeforeshebegancolonizationalongthecoastandpacificationintheinterior.Moroccanraidscontinueduntil1844,whenMarshal Bugeaud'svictoryontheshoresoftheIslyledtotheTangierConventionwhichintendedtofixtheborderofFrenchAlgeriawiththesovereignSultanateofMorocco.1Before1844,nodefinedlinescomparable toboundariesbetweenWesternnation-statesexistedinNorthMrica. Onlynaturalfeaturesorzonesoffluctuatingwidthseparatedtraditionalareas.SuchWesternconceptsascountryornationhardlyapplied toMoroccointhecourseofitslonghistoryasanindependent state.
