Hamdan bin Uthman Khodja and His Political Activity in Algeria

Abstract

Hamdan bin Uthman Khodja engaged in national and political activity that took various forms, including the submission of appeals, petitions, and letters, as well as the authorship of books through which he expressed his ideas and positions. His efforts were aimed at resisting French colonialism and defending his homeland, Algeria. He strove diligently to save Algeria from the grip of French colonization while seeking to avoid bloodshed. Hamdan Khodja also defended the dignity of his country, worked to fulfill the demands of the Algerian populace, and struggled to secure their rights from the French colonizers. Furthermore, he advocated for the formation of the African Committee, which represents one of the pages in the history of the Algerian national movement in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The present study aims to trace the trajectory of Hamdan Khodja and his political activity following the French colonization of Algeria until his death in 1840. It follows a historical scientific methodology based on logical analysis of events while maintaining the elements of time and place in order to reconstruct the historical narrative. The study confirms the following hypothesis: What political activity did Hamdan Khodja leave behind inside and outside Algeria? How did he contribute to the formation of the African Committee? And what was the impact of his linguistic and cultural background on his political activity? The nature of this research necessitated its division into an introduction, three sections, and a conclusion. First his life and upbringing. second focuses on his political activity during the French colonization of Algeria, and Third section examines his political engagement in France. The research concludes with key findings, accompanied by appendices that provide further details on Hamdan Khoja's activities, and a bibliography of sources consulted. Keywords: Khodja, French colonialism, Algeria.