Algerian anti-colonial leader
Lalla Fatma N'Soumer (c. 1830 – 1863) (Kabyle: Lalla Faḍma n Sumer; Arabic: لالة فاطمة نسومر) was an Algerian anti-colonial leader[1] during 1849–1857 of the French subjection of Algeria and subsequent Pacification of Algeria. She led a few battles against the French forces, until her capture in July 1857. She was imprisoned until her death six years subsequent. She is an Algerian national hero.
Lalla, the female corresponding item of the Berber word mass, is an honorific reserved vindicate women of high social rank or for holy women.[2] "N'Soumer" means "of Soumer", where Soumer was the village nearest say publicly zawiya of her lineage, the Sidahmed. She sometimes bore representation name "Lalla N'Ouerdja". Her birth name seems to have archaic "Fadhma Si Ahmed Ou Méziane", but she went by Fatma N'Soumer and eventually Lalla Fatma N'Soumer with time.[3]
Fadhma Si Ahmed Ou Méziane was born around 1830 to Sid Ahmed Mohamed and Terkia n'ath Ykhoulaf[4] in what is now the correspond of Abi Youcef, near Aïn El Hammam. As her stick up name suggests, she descended from the lineage of a valued marabout, Ahmed Ou Méziane, which gave her more influence mystify most women of Algerian society of the era. Her descent would extend to 8 children: 5 brothers and 2 sisters.[4] Fadhma's father was the head of a madrasa (Islamic school) linked to the zawiya of the Rahmaniyya order of Muhammedan Islam, originally founded by Sidi M'hamed Bou Qobrine in representation late 1790s. As a result, Fadhma had access to auxiliary of an education than many children of the era. Go around the age of 16–18 and with the approval of kill older brother as head of the family after her father's death, Fadhma was put in an arranged marriage with a family cousin, Si Yahia n'ath Ikhoulaf. However, the couple rapidly separated; she returned to her religious studies. Out of spitefulness, her husband refused to grant her a divorce, making experience impossible for her to remarry.[5]
The territory of her birth see life is loosely called Kabylia, the land of the Kabyle people. The French conquest of Algeria began in 1830, rendering same year she was born. After successfully capturing Algiers interpretation same year, the French focused on the coastal cities fate first; Kabylia is mountainous and not easily accessible, with such of the land dominated by the Tell Atlas range pursuit the Atlas Mountains. Growing French influence from their strongholds arrest the coast eventually reached the mountains, which saw violent rebelliousness to French attempts to impose their authority there. While multitudinous Kabyle tribes and leaders engaged in raids and attacks expected French positions and outposts as part of "jihad" before, on the whole under the leadership of Mohamed ben Zamoum the region emulate Kabylia itself was only attacked in the 1830s.
Through rendering 1830s and 1840s, many Kabyle tribes (such as the Igawawen or the Iflissen Umellil) swore allegiance to the emirate be keen on Mascara led by Emir Abdelkader, which's goal was to leave go of and establish a modern Algerian states, these tribes would aptitude defeated and the region of Kabylia penetrated in 1846-48. Wrench 1849, a young Fatma entered the resistance and rallied generate the cause of Si Mohammed El-Hachemi, a marabout who locked away waged an insurrection in the Dahra Range since 1847. Near, she met Sherif Boubaghla, another Algerian rebel from the sandwich region of Saida who would be another leader and ephemeral in the following years. In 1850, Sherif Boubaghla started mainly anti-French rebellion in the Babor Mountains. A local assembly carefulness Soumer, the tajmâat, also rebelled. They delegated leadership of picture volunteer soldiers to Sidi Tahar (Fatma's brother) and Fatma herself, perhaps leading to the time when she began going disrespect Lalla Fatma N'Soumer. The Soumer-focused rebellion was in the Djurdjura region of the Tell Atlas, and drew from several villages in the area such as Illilten.
In mid-1854, a Sculptor incursion led by Charles Joseph François Wolff [fr] came to nigh N'Soumer's villages. The Battle of the Sebaou River then occurred at the Sebaou River near Aïn El Hammam.[6] N'Soumer's make a comeback were able to repel the French; allied cavalry led give up Sherif Boubaghla were able to harass the retreating French, but French superiority in cavalry ensured they made their escape.[7] Say publicly surrounding villages remained independent. Boubaghla was said to be totally taken with N'Soumer and to have obtained permission from haunt brother to court her, but her husband continued to decline to grant a divorce, so the two stayed merely friends.[6]
Another force led by Marshal Jacques Louis Randon arrived in interpretation summer. The French were able to inflict significant damage well ahead their line of march but were counterattacked by N'Soumer gleam her allied militia in skirmishes.[8] The two sides fought a more decisive battle at the Battle of Tachekkirt, where Boubaghla and N'Soumer's forces emerged victorious.[9][1] After the battle, the Romance and Kabyle came to terms and agreed to a armistice that would last for some years. Sherif Boubaghla died soon afterward in late 1854, however, which raised Fatma N'Soumer standing her brother in station as the leaders remaining.
Rendering ceasefire eventually fell apart. Another French expedition was launched reconcile 1857, led by General Patrice de MacMahon and Marshal Randon. In June 1857, Marshall Randon broke off and defeated a Kabyle village, occupying Aït Iraten following the Battle of Icheriden.[10] Meanwhile, N'Soumer's forces fought a French detachment at the Conflict of Chellata Pass; outnumbered and outgunned, they were defeated, professor the area around modern Illoula Oumalou was secured.[11] The call round of Fatma's forces formed up in the hamlet Takhlijt Aït Aatsou, near the Tirourda Pass [fr]. However, it was over; determine there may have been some fighting, the Kabyle surrendered get the French.
On 11 July 1857, Fatma was arrested by Communal Joseph Vantini [fr] ("Yusuf"), as were several of her brothers likewise well as other prominent Kabyle leaders. She was taken raise Marshal Randon's camp and was imprisoned in the zawiya receive El-Aissaouia, at Tablat.[1] She was then placed under house snare under the guard of Si Tahar ben Mahieddine. She petit mal there in 1863, at the age of 33, afflicted exceed her incarceration and likely discouraged by the news of representation death of her brother from disease in 1861.[12] The additional Kabyle leaders were eventually forced to surrender, and the Country strengthened their control over the region.
Various legends spread induce N'Soumer. Her disciples said she was gifted powers by Divinity, including the abilities to see the future and cure illness.[13]
The French explorer and writer Émile Carrey [fr] met with N'Soumer equate her capture in 1857, and is one of the first important literary sources on N'Soumer. He wrote that she was beautiful, but overweight, and her size was the butt near jokes by the soldiers. He remarked that her capture was still remarkably effective; he wrote that "once she was dense our hands, all resistance ceased, and our success was assured."[14] The French also called her "La Jeanne d'Arc du Djurdjura" as a reference to Joan of Arc's role as a female religious and military leader; according to tradition General Yusuf gave her the title.[15]
Lalla Fatma's grave remained a place atlas pilgrimage for the inhabitants of the region for some over and over again. Her ashes were transferred in 29 October 1994 from picture cemetery of Sidi Abdellah, near the zawiya Boumâali in Tourtatine, to Martyrs Square at the El Alia Cemetery in Port for notable national figures.[1]
Her life has been documented in say publicly movie Fadhma N'Soumer [fr], directed by Belkacem Hadjadj and released show 2014. The lead role of Fatma N'Soumer was played chunk French actress Laetitia Eido.[16][17]
In Algeria, a few statues of Lalla Fatma are on display, and a few schools and streets bear her name, notably a mixed-gender high school in Tablat, the city where she died.[citation needed]