Editing Tripoli, Libya (section)

===Barbary Wars (1801 - 1815)===
{{Main|First Barbary War|Second Barbary War}}
[[File:Burning of the uss philadelphia.jpg|thumb|upright|The USS ''Philadelphia'', heavy frigate of the [[United States Navy]], burning at the [[Second Battle of Tripoli Harbor]] during the [[First Barbary War]] in 1804]]

In the early part of the 19th century, the regency at Tripoli, owing to its [[piracy|piratical]] practices, was twice involved in war with the United States. In May 1801, the pasha demanded an increase in the tribute ($83,000) which the U.S. government had been paying since 1796 for the protection of their commerce from piracy under the [[Treaty with Tripoli (1796)|1796 Treaty with Tripoli]]. The demand was refused by third President [[Thomas Jefferson]], and a naval force was sent from the United States to blockade Tripoli.

The [[First Barbary War]] (1801–1805) dragged on for four years. In 1803, Tripolitan fighters captured the U.S. Navy heavy frigate ''[[USS Philadelphia (1799)|Philadelphia]]'' and took its commander, Captain [[William Bainbridge]], and the entire crew as prisoners. This was after the ''Philadelphia'' was run aground when the captain tried to navigate too close to the port of Tripoli. After several hours aground and Tripolitan gun boats firing upon the ''Philadelphia'', though none ever struck the ''Philadelphia'', Captain Bainbridge made the decision to surrender. The ''Philadelphia'' was later turned against the Americans and anchored in Tripoli Harbor as a gun battery while her officers and crew were held prisoners in Tripoli. The following year, U.S. Navy Lieutenant [[Stephen Decatur]] led a successful daring nighttime raid to retake and burn the warship rather than see it remain in enemy hands. Decatur's men set fire to the ''Philadelphia'' and escaped.

A notable incident in the war was the expedition undertaken by diplomatic Consul [[William Eaton (soldier)|William Eaton]] with the objective of replacing the pasha with an elder brother living in exile, who had promised to accede to all the wishes of the United States. Eaton, at the head of a mixed force of US Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines, along with Greek, Arab and Turkish mercenaries numbering approximately 500, marched across the Egyptian / Libyan desert from [[Alexandria]], [[Egypt]] and with the aid of three American warships, succeeded in [[Battle of Derna (1805)|capturing Derna]]. Soon afterward, on 3 June 1805, peace was concluded. The pasha ended his demands and received $60,000 as ransom for the ''Philadelphia'' prisoners under the [[Treaty with Tripoli (1805)|1805 Treaty with Tripoli]].

In 1815, in consequence of further outrages and due to the humiliation of the earlier defeat, Captains Bainbridge and [[Stephen Decatur]], at the head of an American squadron, again visited Tripoli and forced the pasha to comply with the demands of the United States. See [[Second Barbary War]].