Earliest French Algeria

whats the VERY Earliest that the French could take (and hold long term) Algeria (or at lest the city of Algiers) I keep thinking of French North Africa 1480-1560 but I have no POD for it.
 
Well, a bunch of Normans did conquer Sicily before the Crusades began. Say that kingdom ventured south to hold both sides of the straits, voila a sort of "French" Algiers before 1100 AD!

Of course the Norman regime in Sicily eventually failed OTL, and the conquered Sicilians and Algerians were as likely to influence the Normans culturally as they were to transform them.

To give this sort of thing staying power and make it more "French" I guess we can imagine the dynasty running Sicily/Algeria linking up by marriage with their cousins back in Normandy who meanwhile expand Anjou southward until they reach the Mediterranean coast, then assuming that alliance fuses into one dynasty that can hold from Algiers to Rouen, they move east and eventually take the French crown?
 
I was thinking that Napoleon I might have tried it, but then it probably would have been taken away from him by the British (given to the Turks or kept).

But a 15th Century Algeria is probably more likely to go to Spain, is it not? They'll call it a crusade, maybe after defeating Grenada for the final time. But hey, odds are France joins them. How's this?

Spain defeats Grenada and wins the reconquista, and then goes on to 'take revenge', so to speak, by calling for a crusade against the unholy Muslims in North Africa. Catholic France gets in on the action and together Spain and France attack Algeria and Morocco. By the end of it all (like, by 1500 perhaps, I'm not good at coming up with dates) Spain has subdued Morocco and Oran, while France has conquered the rest of what was Algeria. But wouldn't the Turks get involved?
 
But a 15th Century Algeria is probably more likely to go to Spain, is it not?

True. But if Spain establishes a stable province in Northern Africa, the French might try the same to counter it.

French Algeria is of interest to rule the Western Med. So from the very moment Spain weakens the French could try to conquer Algeria, destroy the pirates and gain important harbours. Once established, they might expand.
 
What this POD of yours would seem to require is a North Africa that serves as a successful crusade target. Now, what this would seem to require would be general political and cultural disunity in North Africa.

This could take on a number of forms, from the Berbers choosing to remain
Christian, to the Norman conquest of Sicily and South Italy not happening, thus resulting in South Italy becoming a chaotic region fought over between Arabic raiders and local brigands and strongmen. The Berbers remaining Christian would dramatically increase the overall instabillity of the region, and could make matters of conquest considerably easier for any wannabe crusader who is capable of making an appeal to the Berbers.

Combined with the above premise concerning Italy, this could cause the Pope to start directing Crusading armies south after the success of the First Crusade. The armies would likely be lead by the French, as the English are too far away, the Germans are in the midst of the Investisure Controversy, and the Spanish are a disunited non-factor.

If the French are able to conquer and hold North Africa, then barring the rise of an Islamic power to drive them back into the sea, they should be still holding onto said territory at the date of the premise
 
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