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Per Eric Skjöldebrand : The Man Towards Whom The United States Is Indebted Linda BELABDELOUAHAB-FERNINI Université de Msila Abstract After Algiers had discussed peace with Spain in July 1785, it declared war on the United States forthwith. Before its revolutionary war, the United States’ commerce was protected by Great Britain. After its independence, the new infant country had to rely on itself and search for new markets. This is how it turned to the Mediterranean. But without the British shield, the American vessels were jeopardized. During a decade, two Algerian offensives had been directed against the United States before a treaty of Amity and peace was signed between the Regency of Algiers and the United States. The signature of this treaty was not an easy task. Some countries were reluctant to I t, andsome others were neutral. The present article aims to underscore the Swedish role in the fulfillment of the peace treaty. Focus will be laid on the Skjöldebrand brothers in general, and on Per Erik Skjöldebrandin particular in his efforts to rescue peace.The welfare he provided to the American captives wil be displayed. There will bean attempt to underline his role in paving the wayand providing the necessary intelligence to peace negotiations. Moreover, this article highlights Per Erik’s legacy in avoiding the rupture of negotiations and finalizing the details of the treaty. Finally, the article offers a reflection on Per Erik’s refusal of any reward from the American government but a letter of gratitude. Keywords: Regency of Algiers- Sweden- Per Erik Skjoldebrand- Algerian-American 1795 peace treaty-Swedish role in the Algerian- American treaty. 10 ﻣﻠﺨﺺ ﻋﺎﻧﺖ اﻟﻮﻻﻳﺎت اﳌﺘﺤﺪة اﻷﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ ﻋﴩ ﺳﻨﻮات ﻣﻦ اﻷزﻣﺔ ﻗﺒﻞ ﺗﻮﻗﻴﻌﻬﺎ ﻋﲆ ﻣﻌﺎﻫﺪة ﻟﻠﺼﺪاﻗﺔ واﻟﺴﻼم ﻣﻊ اﻳﺎﻟﺔ اﻟﺠﺰاﺋﺮ.ﰲ أواﺧﺮ اﻟﻘﺮن اﻟﺜﺎﻣﻦ ﻋﴩ ﻛﺎﻧﺖ اﻟﺤﺮب اﻟﺠﺰاﺋﺮﻳﺔ-اﻷﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ ﻧﺘﻴﺠﺔ ﻣﺒﺎﴍة ﻻﺳﺘﻘﻼل أﻣﺮﻳﻜﺎ. وﰲ اﻟﻮاﻗﻊ، ﻛﺎﻧﺖ ﺗﺠﺎرة اﻟﻮﻻﻳﺎت اﳌﺘﺤﺪة ﻣﻊ ﻣﻌﻈﻢ اﻟﺒﻠﺪان اﻷﺟﻨﺒﻴﺔ ﺗﺤﺖ إﴍاف ﺑﺮﻳﻄﺎﻧﻴﺎ. ﺑﻌﺪ اﻟﺤﺮب اﻟﺜﻮرﻳﺔ، ﻓﻘﺪان اﻟﺤﻳﺔ اﻟﱪﻳﻄﺎﻧﻴﺔ أدى إﱃ ﻓﻘﺪان اﻻﺗﺤﺎد اﻟﻜﻮﻧﻔﺪراﱄ ﻟﻠﺘﺠﺎرة اﻟﺨﺎرﺟﻴﺔ ﻣ ﺟﻌﻞ ﻫﺬا اﻟﺒﻠﺪ اﻟﺤﺪﻳﺚ اﻟﻨﺸﺄة ﻳﺒﺤﺚ ﻋﻦ أﺳﻮاق ﺟﺪﻳﺪة، وﺑﺎﻟﺘﺎﱄ، ﺗﺤﻮل إﱃ ﻣﻨﻄﻘﺔ اﻟﺒﺤﺮ اﻷﺑﻴﺾ اﳌﺘﻮﺳﻂ. ﺑﺪون ﺟﻮازات ﺳﻔﺮ ﺑﺮﻳﻄﺎﻧﻴﺔ، ﻛﺎﻧﺖ اﻟﺴﻔﻦ اﻷﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ ﻣﺘﻌﺮﺿﺔﻟﻠﻮﻗﻮع ﻓﺮﻳﺴﺔ اﻟﻘﺮاﺻﻨﺔ اﻟﺠﺰاﺋﺮﻳ. وﰲ اﻟﻮاﻗﻊ، ﺑﻌﺪ أن ﻧﺎﻗﺸﺖ اﻟﺠﺰاﺋﺮ ﻣﻌﺎﻫﺪة اﻟﺴﻼم ﻣﻊ إﺳﺒﺎﻧﻴﺎ ﰲ ﺟﻮﻳﻠﻴﺔ1785، أﻋﻠﻨﺘﺎﻟﺤﺮب ﻋﲆ اﻟﻮﻻﻳﺎت اﳌﺘﺤﺪة ﻓﻮرا. ﻳﻜﻦ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺴﻬﻞ اﻟﺘﻮﻗﻴﻊ ﻋﲆ ﻣﻌﺎﻫﺪة ﺳﻼم، واﺟﻬﺖ اﻟﻮﻻﻳﺎت اﳌﺘﺤﺪة ﻋﺪة ﺑﻠﺪاﻌﺎدﻳﺔ ﻟﻠﺴﻼم ﻣﻊ اﻳﺎﻟﺔ اﻟﺠﺰاﺋﺮ.ﻳﺴﻌﻰ ﻫﺬا اﳌﻘﺎل اﱃ ﺗﺴﻠﻴﻂ اﻟﻀﻮء ﻋﲆ اﻟﺪور اﻟﻔﺮﻳﺪ اﻟﺬي ﻟﻌﺒﺘﻪ اﻟﺴﻮﻳﺪ ﰲ ﻣﺴﺎﻋﺪﺗﻬﺎ ﻟﻠﺴﺠﻨﺎء اﻷﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴ وﺗﺤﻘﻴﻖ اﻟﺴﻼم ﺑ اﻳﺎﻟﺔ اﻟﺠﺰاﺋﺮ واﻟﻮﻻﻳﺎت اﳌﺘﺤﺪة. ﻛ ﻳﺸﺪد أﻳﻀﺎ ﻋﲆ اﻟﺠﻬﻮد اﳌﺘﻌﺪدة ﳌﺎﺗﻴﺎس ﺳﻜﺠﻮﻟﺪﺑﺮاﻧﺪ،اﻟﻘﻨﺼﻞ اﻟﺴﻮﻳﺪي ﺑﺎﻟﺠﺰاﺋﺮ اﻟﻌﺎﺻﻤﺔ، وﺑﺼﻔﺔ ّأدق ﻟﺸﻘﻴﻘﻪ إرﻳﻚ ﺳﻜﺠﻮﻟﺪﺑﺮاﻧﺪ ﻟﺘﺄﻣ اﻟﺴﻼم ﺑ اﻟﺒﻠﺪﻳﻦ ﻗﺒﻞ، أﺛﻨﺎء وﺑﻌﺪ اﻟﺘﻮﻗﻴﻊ ﻋﲆ ﻣﻌﺎﻫﺪة اﻟﺴﻼم ﺑ اﻟﺒﻠﺪﻳﻦ. ﻳﻬﺪف ﻫﺬا اﳌﻘﺎل إﱃ اﻛﺘﺸﺎف إرﻳﻚ ﺳﻜﺠﻮﻟﺪﺑﺮاﻧﺪ وأﺳﺒﺎب ﻋﺪم ﺑﺮوز دوره ﰲ ﺣﻞ اﻷزﻣﺔ اﻟﺠﺰاﺋﺮﻳﺔ-اﻷﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ ﰲ اﻟﺴﺠﻼت اﻟﺘﺎرﻳﺨﻴﺔ. ﻛ ﻳﻠﻘﻲ اﳌﻘﺎل اﻟﻀﻮء ﻋﲆ إرﺛﻪ ّاﳌﻨﴘ ﰲ ﻣﻌﺎﻫﺪة اﻟﺴﻼم اﻟﺠﺰاﺋﺮﻳﺔ- اﻷﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ ﻋﺎم 1795. وﻳﻜﺸﻒ اﻟﻨﻘﺎب ﻋﻦ اﻟﻄﺮﻳﻘﺔ اﻟﺘﻲ رﻓﺾ أن ﻳﻜﺎﻓﺊ ﺑﻬﺎ ﻣﻦ ﻃﺮف اﻟﺤﻜﻮﻣﺔ اﻷﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ، وﻗﺒﻮﻟﻪ ﻓﻘﻂ ﻟﺮﺳﺎﻟﺔ اﻣﺘﻨﺎن. اﺳﻤﻪ ﻳﺮﺗﺒﻂ ارﺗﺒﺎﻃﺎ وﺛﻴﻘﺎ 11 ﺑﺎﳌﻌﺎﻫﺪة اﻟﺘﻲ أدت إﱃ ﻓﺘﺢ ﺑﻮاﺑﺎت اﻟﺒﺤﺮ اﻷﺑﻴﺾ اﳌﺘﻮﺳﻂ ﻟﺒﻠﺪ ﺣﺪﻳﺚ اﻟﻮﺟﻮد اﻟﺬي ﺳﻴﺘﺤﻮل ﻓﻴ ﺑﻌﺪ إﱃ ﻗﻮة ﻋﺎﳌﻴﺔ. Introduction It took the United States of America ten years of crisis before it signed a treaty of Amity and Peace with the Regency of Algiers. The late eighteenth century Algerian-American war had been a direct consequence of American independence. In fact, the most important part of trade the United States carried out with foreign countries was under the aegis of Britain. After the Revolutionary war, the loss of British protection led to the Confederation’s loss of foreign trade which was aggravated by the British Order in Council of July 2, 1783. The latter interdicted US trade with the West Indies. 1 This conducted the infant country to seek new markets, thus, it turned to the Mediterranean and more specifically to the North African States. However, without British passports, the American vessels were to fall prey to Algerine corsairs. In fact, after Algiers had discussed a treaty of peace with Spain in July1785, it immediately declared war on the United States. Numerous attempts had failed to settle the problem of prisoners held in Algiers after the capture of two American frigates the Maria and Dauphin in 1785 and peace treaty before the delegation of Donaldson and Philip Sloan reached Algiers on September 3, 1795. The United States had to face countries hostile to its peace with the Regency of Algiers. Nevertheless, Holland and Portugal for instance were neutral and one country was particularly in favor of the signature of a peace treaty. Sweden was unique in its assistance to American prisoners and the fulfillment of peace between the Regency of Algiers and the United States. Even though James Cathcart, a former American prisoner and later the secretary to the Dey and Mattias Skjöldebrand, the Swedish Consul at Algiers, made manifold efforts to secure peace between the two countries, Per Erik Skjöldebrand played an outstanding role before, during and after the signature of the treaty of Peace between Algiers and the United States. Who was the man? Why his role in the resolution of the Algerian-American crisis is not enough highlighted in historical records? Did the American government reward him for his deeds? If this was the case, in which manner? Has he been devoted a 12 comprehensive study that sheds light on his forgotten legacy in the 1795 Algerian-American treaty? Per Erik Skjöldebrand’s family background Per Erik Skjöldebrand 2 (1769-1826) was the son of Erik Brander who was born in Koping in 1722. He was the grandson of Fredrik Brander and Maria Elisabet Sahlan. His mother was Johanna Logie (1740-1780). He was the fourth of five children: Anders Fredrik Skjöldebrand (1754-1834); Mattias Arkimboldus Skjöldebrand (1765- 1813); Fredrika Charlotta Skjöldebrand (1767-1809); and Sofia Skjöldebrand, (1774-1815). Erik Brander, his father, was the Swedish consul in Algiers that had been raised to the nobility as Skjöldebrand in 1767. His mother was the sister of Charles Logie, a former naval lieutenant who was appointed to Algiers as British consul general in 1785. He occupied that post until 1791. He had previously served as consul general in Tangiers from 1772 to 1782. Charles Logie’s grandfather, George Logie (1694-1776), a Scottish merchant, who alleged descent from the king of Scotland, was neither appreciated by the French nor by the British. He served for seventeen years as Swedish consul at Algiers and negotiated the first peace treaty between the Regency of Algiers and Sweden. He appointed British consuls and forced them out of office at will by inciting their nationals against them. Finally, he was appointed Consul-General in the Barbary States. 3 While the Swedish Consul Mattias and his brother Per Erik Skjöldebrand were the best friends to Americans, Charles Logie, their uncle, was their archenemy. 4 Cathcart did not relate the relationship between Logie and the Skjöldebrands, but according to Richard B. Parker, it was public knowledge at that time. Thanks to the descendents of Mattias living in Stockholm, Parker gathered such valuable genealogical information. 5 Logie’s hostility towards Americans was revealed in supplying passes to Algerine cruisers before the Portuguese accepted the truce with Algiers. This is how eleven American ships were seized by Algerian privateers in 1793. His assistance to Americans 13 The Treaty of Paris was the most outstanding accomplishment in the annals of American Diplomacy. Even though this treaty symbolized formal British acknowledgment of the United States’ independence, it also represented the withdrawal of British privileges rendered to Americans under their colonial status. Among these advantages was the shield for American Mediterranean commerce. In fact, Britain had already stopped delivering Mediterranean passes to American ships during their Revolution. After their independence, the Americans hoped to uphold their trade in Mediterranean waters. The ports of the Mediterranean bought 1/4 of American exports of dry and pickled fish and 1/6 of the wheat, flour and rice. Just a year after American independence, in 1784, the American ship the Betsy was seized by Morocco. 6 In 1785, two American ships the Maria and the Dauphin were also captured by Algerine privateers. Eight years later, in 1793, eleven other American vessels were seized by Algerine corsairs and about one hundred and fifteen captives remained prisoners in Algiers until a Treaty of Amity and Peace was signed between Algiers and the United States in September, 1795. The first treaty negotiator sent to Algiers was John Lamb. He arrived in Algiers in March, 1786, but he failed in his mission. He made promises to the Dey on behalf of his government he knew he could not fulfill. Congress annulled the commission and directives it delivered to him in September, 1786. The second choice fell on John Paul Jones. Unfortunately, he died on July 18, 1792, before the Barbary commission reached him. The next appointee was Thomas Barclay, who had been known for his successful mission in 1786. The latter was crowned by a treaty between Morocco and the United States. He also died in 1793, without knowing he had been appointed the U.S. envoy to the Dey of Algiers. He was replaced by Colonel David Humphreys, the United States Ambassador to the court of Lisbon. Humphreys was George Washington’s officer during the Revolutionary war and went with him at Mt Vernon when he retired after the war. He had also been Secretary to the three Peace Commissioners in Europe. This position allowed him to be aware of the early stages of negotiations with Algiers. David Humphreys opted for Swedish mediation in peace negotiations. He preferred the assistance of Sweden that had just concluded peace with Algiers in June 1792.

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