Ahmed I Bey

Ahmed I Bey , born the December 2nd 1806 and deceased the May 30th 1855 with the Palate Sharfiya of Goulette, is Bey de Tunis of 1837 to its death.

It succeeds his father, Moustapha Bey, the October 10th 1837. Young prince, it has for his country of great ambitions: he wants to have a many army, a navy of frightening war, a modern arsenal, a polytechnic school, a hotel of currency, a royal residence, etc But neither him nor his young person top dog, Mustapha Khaznadar, which became his/her brother-in-law, have an exact idea of the resources economic to use to conclude this great work, so that the majority of the initiatives beylicales lead to expensive failures.

Othoman decree

Some time after her advent, Ahmed Bey receives Othoman sultan the traditional Firman of nomination and the badges corresponding. The envoy of the sultan, Osman Bey, arrives with Goulette, the May 15th 1836, on board a frigate. The following day, it makes its official entry with Tunis, with Cheval, preceded by all the members of the cabinet beylical who had gone ahead of of him up to two Lieue S of the city. One carries in front of the envoy the saber of honor and the Caftan intended for the bey. The envoy is framed of Spahis and is followed by all the regular troops (5000 to 6000) like by 5000 Arab riders of the surroundings of Tunis. The procession makes its entry in the Capitale under the acclamations of the men and the dinghies of the women. Three days after this official entry, the envoy goes to the palate Bardo in great pageantry to present to the bey the decree and the badges of his nomination as well as gifts among which two beautiful Géorgiennes and ten parts of gun S. major general Nommé of the imperial army Othoman in May 1838, it is raised by the sultan with the dignity of marshal (hitherto the beys of Tunis had only the rank of major general) the August 14th 1840. The purpose of all these honors are to reinforce the bonds of Vassalité which link the regency of Tunis to the Othoman sultan.

Sovereign modernisator

At the time of a treated signed in 1830, the bey grants the transfer of a ground with Carthage for the erection of a monument to the king Louis IX of France. The installation of the first stone of the cathedral at the top of the hill of Byrsa takes place the August 25th 1840.

In June 1845, the duke of Montpensier, wire of the king Louis-Philippe, Tunis visit and Carthage. He is received with much solemnity by the bey. During official talks starts the project of the voyage of Ahmed Bey to Paris. This voyage takes place the following year and king Louis-Philippe reserves to the bey a splendid reception to which this one is very sensitive. This voyage, during which Ahmed Bey sees many things, reinforces the sovereign in his projects to imitate the European nations. Up to what point is the effort of restoration of Ahmed Bey felt in the urban evolution of Tunis? One does not have the impression that this prince was interested much in the embellishment of the city except for the rebuilding of the mosque of Bab El Jazira and restoration in 1847 - 1848 of Bab El Bhar. The palates of Bardo and the Mohamedia benefit more from the initiatives of the sovereign. However, it makes gift of an important batch of Arab manuscripts to the Mosquée Zitouna. It is advisable to notice here that the beys have, generally, always acted by delegation with regard to Tunis where they have three representatives with wide capacities: the Aga which orders the Kasbah and the militia, the daouletly or ferik which ensures the order and safety in the city and the Sheik El Médina in charge of the administration of the Souk S and whose attributions are little by little wide.

Among his successes, one can quote the abolition of the Esclavage in Tunisia in 1846. Deceased in 1855, it is buried with the Mausolée Tourbet El Bey located in the Médina of Tunis.

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