Hussein I Bey

Hussein I Bey , of his true name Hussein Ben Ali, born in 1675 with the Kef and deceased the May 13rd 1740 with Kairouan, is Bey de Tunis of 1705 with 1735.

Advent of a sovereign

Young person Janissary, it becomes Aga Spahis then treasurer of the kingdom. Proclaimed bey the July 12th 1705, it takes its functions the July 15th, founding what will become the Dynastie Husseinites. It will also carry the title of viceroy of the Othoman Ifriqiya starting from 1707. Ben Ali, while reaching the capacity under the name of Hussein Bey, takes the care to control while being pressed as well on the elements Turkish to which it owes his accession with the capacity as on Tunisian elements of stock. But its immediate entourage is especially composed of Mamelouks. Its right-hand man is a slave French, certain Reynaud originating in Toulon, man educated and intelligent who helped it to seize the power.

Found prosperity

He notes quickly that the capital gives the annoying example of the “weakening of the religious rules and the loosening of moral standards”. The observance of the Islamic traditions, according to him, was dissipated because of the elements of any origines which train then the population Tunis oise. It thus wishes to give again with these traditions a primacy in the social life and to re-allocate the various ethnic elements under the aegis of the Islam. It is this situation which the chronicler Mohammed Seghir Ben Youssef reports when it indicates that it “gave in honor the precepts of the Sunna illustrates” and gives the example of the sharpest Piété: its Foi is indeed burning and he visits with assiduity the piles characters while going to find them in their residences and their Zaouïa S. He makes turn unceasingly a Chapelet between its fingers and repeats constantly the name of God accompanied by prayers for the prophet. Besides he makes build in Tunis the mosque of the Dyers and the Médersa El Hassinya and creates public fountains.

The order and safety reign then in all the kingdom and one ensures, according to a devoted image, that an young girl carrying a crown of Diamant S can go without danger of Tunis to Tozeur. In fact, this internal security supports taken it again of the businesses and brings a prosperity which the country for a long time did not know because of the Civil war to which the come to power of Hussein Bey puts an end. However, the foreign trade could have been more active if the bey, whom one reproaches certain leaning for the Avarice, had not monopolized with his profit, by the means of Fermage S, any foreign trade to sell at excessive prices the intended products with the Exportation. The continuation of the events shows besides that the bey did not succeed in achieving the unanimity of the population around his capacity.

Revolt

This prince having made enter, in 1709, in his Harem a young person Gênoise, 13 years old, captured at sea by Tunisian Corsair S, this one gives him two children: Mohammed and Ali respectively born in 1710 and 1712. These births fill the bey who makes proclaim by his cabinet that in the future the capacity would be transmitted by male order of primogeniture in the descent of the reigning bey. This decision causes to confer to the oldest son of the bey, when it reaches its legal majority in 1725, the title of Bey of the camp that front door him Ali Bey (nephew of the sovereign). In compensation, Ali Bey receives the title of pasha. Not very satisfied to be thus drawn aside with the capacity, Ali Pasha does not cease intriguing against Hussein so much so that this one narrowly makes it supervise in its palate and makes provide with doors the walls of the Faubourg S which were deprived by it. Despite everything the precautions taken, Ali Pasha succeeds, by putting the price at it, to escape from Tunis with his Younès son the February 21st 1728. This escape will have the most disastrous consequences for Hussein Bey, because Ali Pasha, in spite of the riders launched to his continuation, manages to join the tribes of Hanencha and Ousseltia, to involve them with the revolt then to take refuge near the Dey of Algiers.

Deposition and setting with death

The dey then retains captive Ali and his Younès son with the help of a tribute which annually Hussein Bey forwards to him. This one having ceased any payment in 1735, the dey of Algiers takes makes and causes for Ali Pasha, invades Tunisia and goes to the meeting of the bey who is beaten with the battle of Smindja (September 4th 1735) and is obliged to flee towards Sousse then Kairouan where it is locked up with his two sons Mohammed and Ali. With the advertisement of the victory of Ali Pasha, his partisans decide the authorities in charge of the defense of Tunis to capitulate without condition. The father and the two wire of Ali Pasha, which are in the prisons of the Bardo, are immediately released and charged with going to carry to the winner the keys of the city. Besieged in Kairouan, Hussein Bey is captured and decapitated on order of Younès on May 13rd, 1740.

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