Lalla Aicha, regent of Touggourt


Lalla Aicha was regent of Touggourt from 1833–1846. She was from the Ben-Gana family, which was granted the title ‘cheikh el-Arab’ by the French. She married Amer, Sultan of Touggourt, and was the mother of Sultan Abd ar-Rahman.
According to an 1854 account by Sulayman IV, last of the Beni Djellab sultans, the period of Lalla Aicha's rule was characterised by extreme violence within the ruling family, although this was not entirely unusual. Aicha and a faction of courtiers rebelled against her brother-in-law Sultan Ali and maintained power by killing other potential rivals, including Sulayman's infant son.
Aicha apparently poisoned Ali before taking power in the name of her son Abd er-Rahman, then aged eight. Assuming the title “khalifa” she took over the direction of government, managing state affairs with great ability. Accounts say that she rode a horse, wore pistols on her belt and even smoked tekrouri. She governed the state on her own until her son was old enough to take over.