Hammouda Bey , name francized of Muhammad Hammuda Bey , born the December 9th 1759 and deceased the September 15th 1814 with the palate of the Bardo, is Bey de Tunis of 1782 to its death.

His/her father Ali II Bey quickly associates it with the capacity in order to make his heir to it whereas the son of Rachid Bey, the prince Mahmoud, claimed to ensure the succession. Vis-a-vis the disease of his/her father, Hammouda takes the orders of the country as of the February 9th 1777 but succeeds to him officially on the throne only with died of this one the May 26th 1782.

Tumultuous context

Its long reign embrace one period extremely disturbed in the Mediterranean following the wars of the French revolution and the Napoleonean Empire which put at the catches French and Britanniques, the latter being the allies of the Othoman sultan whose nominal Souveraineté extends on the provinces Berbères from North Africa and the Egypt. In war with the Republic of Venice, of 1784 with 1792, then with the Algeria NS, this sovereign makes reinforce the defensive system of Tunis: the ramparts and the forts of the médina are repaired as well as the Kasbah. On the plans and under the direction of the Engineer Dutch Homberg, the suburbs of Bab Souika and Bab El Jazira are surrounded by a light material wall but protected with each by a Bastion carries. Hammouda Bey increases manpower of the Garnison of Tunis and makes build several barracks in the médina itself: barracks of El Attarine, become national library thereafter, of the street of Church, become thereafter direction of the Habous, Sidi Ali Azzouz, become thereafter a Orphanage, of Sidi Ali Ben Zayed, become thereafter the Sadiki hospital, as well as a Foundry in El Haficiya. Lastly, it also makes build Borj El Kebir of Manouba which is used thereafter as barracks of Artillerie. Large manufacturer, Hammouda also makes build most of Dar El Bey, in particular the rooms of Apparat, and the Souk which skirts the Eastern side of this palate. Its top dog, Youssef Sahab Ettabaâ, makes raise the Mosquée hanéfite place Halfaouine whose Minaret remained unfinished because, one says, the sovereign who would have taken the initiative to finish it would have died in the year. It is for the same reason that Dar El Bey was never completed by the successors of Hammouda (it is only in 1953 that the construction of the administrative offices of the ground floor and the first floor was completed).

Threaten of the janissaries

Hammouda also increases manpower of the Turkish Milice which are carried to 9000 men. That is not without danger to the Dynastie within sight of the usual turbulence of the Janissaire S. This is why the sovereign considers it necessary to surround itself by a guard of Mamelouks, slaves of Christian origin converted with the Islam and raised at the court. Those usually arrive at highest employment, which is hitherto reserved to the Turks. Upset new state of the things which is established with their detriment, the senior officers of the militia foment a plot against the sovereign. The August 30th 1811, they succeed in seizing the kasbah in order to form new a Gouvernement but the inhabitants of Tunis alert the palate of Bardo at once. The bey gives the order to the Mamelukes and to the janissaries remained faithful to his person to go under the walls of the kasbah and to make the seat Citadelle. Tunisois, which has usually to complain about the insolence of the soldiers, lend strong hand to the troops loyal supporters and the rebels of the kasbah realize that the prolongation of the fight would lead to their loss. They are divided then into three groups, of which one escapes from night in the countryside, the second is let slip the top of the wall to go to hide in the médina while the third group returns the weapons and opens the doors of the citadel. The majority of revolted are then carried out.

Suspect death

Hammouda Bey dies suddenly in the room of justice of the palate of Bardo, in the middle of its courtiers, after having absorbed a cup of Café, which the public Rumeur affirms at once to be a Empoisonnement. The top dog Youssef Sahab Ettabaâ shows Mariano Stinca, Neapolitan slave and private secretary of Hammouda, to have acted with the complicity of the renegade doctor Mendici. The two men are carried out on order of the brother of Osman Bey (successor of Hammouda).

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