Raïs Hamidou

Raïs
Hamidou ben Ali
رايس حميدو بن علي
Statue of Hamidou in the Central museum of the Army in Algiers
Born1770
DiedJune 17, 1815(1815-06-17) (aged 44–45)
Resting placeMediterranean Sea
Piratical career
NicknameʾAmīr al-biḥār (commander of the seas)
Other namesAmidon
Hamuda
TypeCorsair
AllegianceDeylik of Algiers
Years active1795–1815
Rankadmiral
Base of operationsOran, Algiers
CommandsMeshuda
Portuguesa
Stedio
Battles/wars

Hamidou ben Ali, known as Raïs Hamidou (Arabic: الرايس حميدو), or Amidon in American literature (c. 1770 – June 17, 1815), was an Algerian corsair. He captured up to 200 ships during his career. Hamidou ensured the prosperity of the Deylik of Algiers, and gave it its last glory before the French invasion.