who owned alabama before it became a state

The ownership of Alabama changed hands a couple of times before it became a U.S. state:

• British: They gained control of the territory after the French and Indian War (1763) but lost it to the United States in the Revolutionary War (1783).
• Spain: Briefly held Mobile, which was part of Spanish West Florida, until 1813.

So, depending on the specific time period you’re interested in, it was either the British or Spain.