Jerba

Geography

Site

The island, which is attached to the Gouvernorat of Médenine, is very close to the continent by two on both sides advanced to Jorf and Ajim in the west and Zarzis and El Kantara in the east. Ajim is separated from Jorf by an arm of the sea, the Canal of Ajim, broad two kilometers and accommodating two small islands which one calls Elgataia Kebira and Elgataia Sghira. The old ones In addition gained these small islands with back of Dromadaire S., the extension of the beach of Mezraya form a Presqu'île, Ras Rmel, which is one of the important tourist sites of the island. Side of Zarzis, the island is connected to the continent by a bridge of 7,5 kilometers. It is made of one or several housing units ( houch ) and Verger S, fields or Atelier of Tissage, Grenier S, Puit S and Citerne. Surrounded by Hedge S, it is organized according to a defensive principle until the 3rd century.

The Romains temporarily occupy it during the forwarding of the Consul Caius Sempronius Blaesus in 253 av. J. - C.. It is known that the island counts two cities then: Meninx and Thoar. The island shelters three principal urban centres thereafter. One of them, whose modern name is Henchir Bourgou, was discovered near Midoun (center of the island). One finds there the vestiges of a big city dating from fourth century BC announced by high monticules - called “Rocks of Bourgou” - and the important presence of Poterie S as by imposing a Tombe probably belonging to a member of a royal family numide. Another center, on the south-eastern coast, was an important production site of Colorant S containing murex. It is quoted by Pline Old the like occupant the second rank in this field behind the city of Tyr. In addition, to substantial quantities of Marbre coloured on the spot discovered testify to its richness. At the 3rd century, this center seems to be called Girba , name from where the name would have come from the island. A third important center, probably old Haribus, was on the southernmost coast near the village of Guellala.

The Roman Emperors Trébonien Galle and his son Volusien are native island and two of its bishop S left their names in the history: Monnulus and Vincent which assist with the councils of Carthage in 255 and 525. The ruins of their Cathédrale can be identified in the south-west of the island.

In 665, Jerba fall to the hands from the Arab directed by Ruwayfa ibn Thâbit during the countryside from Byzacène ordered by Muawiya Ben Hudaydj. The island adopts then the beliefs kharidjites. At the 11th century, the island becomes independent, following the invasion of the Ifriqiya by the Hilaliens, and converts with the Piraterie. It is taken again by Ali Ben Yahya in 1115 - 1116 (year 509 of the hégire).

The Middle Ages

Catalan period

During the the Middle Ages, the Christian of Sicily and Aragon dispute their possession with the local ibadites. From this period remain many small Mosquée S, whose first date from the 12th century, like two imposing forts. The island is controlled twice by the Normands carried out by the king Roger II of Sicily (1135 - 1158 and 1284 - 1333), periods stopped by an invasion almohade in 1160. In 1154, the inhabitants rebel but the Norman ones crush the revolt in blood. During the second period, the island becomes a feudal field directed by a succession of lords: Roger Ier (1284 - 1305), Roger II (1305 - 1310), Charles (1310) and Francis-Roger III (1310). Royal governors are also named such as Simon de Montolieu (towards 1305 - 1308) and Ramon Muntaner (1308 - 1315). In 1286, the Catalans take the Kerkennah which become a seigniory for the family of Roger de Lauria. This last made there build a fortress in 1289, close to the Meninx antique, which is called Castelló and later Kashtil.

The attempts at revolts on behalf of the inhabitants of the island and the Tunisians force the king Frederic II of Sicily to incorporate Jerba in Sicily in 1309 and to name Muntaner as leader of the island. In 1311, there will be a Famine during several months and the island revolts with the assistance of the Tunisians of the continent of which the Hafsides carried out by Abû Yahyâ Abû Bakr Al-Mutawakkil.

The Catalans give up the island during their war against the Castilians (1334 - 1335). They take it again in 1383 with the assistance of a Flotte gênoise but preserve it only until the end of the year 1392. New attacks of the Sicilians in 1424 and 1432 are pushed back with the assistance of the sovereign hafside Abû Fâris `Abd Al `Azîz Al-Mutawakkil. The Moslems build a fortress in the north of the island, beside the ruins of the antique Girba , which they call Borj El Kébir. The town of Houmt Souk will grow in the neighborhoods.

Period hafside

In 1480, the inhabitants of the island revolt against the sovereign hafside Abû `Umar `Uthmân and take the Roman road check which connects the continent to the island. The internal struggles between Wahbiya and Nakkara, two factions of the ibadites and kharidjites, which dominates in the North-West and the south-east of Jerba, do not stop however the economic progress of the island. The inhabitants pay a tribute with the sovereign then but remain independent.

Periods Othoman and Spanish

See also: Battle of Jerba

Towards 1500, the island passes under Othoman occupation. In 1511, it is attacked by the troops of the kingdom of Spain, placed under the command of Pedro Navarro, to establish there a fortress which will ensure the conquests of Oran, Bougie, Algiers and Tripoli. In 1513, it is plundered by Gênois.

Jerba is occupied by Spain of 1521 with 1524 and of 1551 with 1560. It becomes then the temporary base of the Corsaire and Othoman Admiral Khayr AD-DIN Barberousse. From 1524 to 1551, the island is one of the principal bases of the Othoman corsairs and North-African led by Dragut. It is in this context of competition between Othomans and Europeans for the control of the Mediterranean that a naval Bataille opposes to broad island, 9 with the May 14th 1560, the Othoman fleet carried out by Piyale Pasha and Dragut to a European fleet mainly made up of Spanish ships, Neapolitan, sicilians and Maltese.

In 1568, the pasha of Tripoli is presented to it to require a great tribute and the island is taken by Ibrahim in 1598. During the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century, the island depends alternatively on the governors of Algiers, Tripoli or Tunis until Hammouda Pasha (governor of 1631 with 1659) définivement incorporates it in the kingdom of Tunis. In 1705, with the establishment of the Dynasty of the Husseinites, the Bey de Tunis is henceforth represented on the island by a sheik and Caïd S recruited among the most important local families. Most important of them is the family Senumeni (XVIe century) then that of Beautiful Djelloud. One of the members of this family, Saïd, will make use all the ships of the island to prevent that Younès, wire of Ali I Bey, can go on the island, which will cost him the life. Second half of the XVIIe century with XVIIIe and XIXe centuries, the dominant family is that of the Ben Ayed.

As from the XVIIIe century, the orthodoxy malékite replaces the ibadism and the Berber language loses little by little its importance vis-a-vis the Arab . At the XVIIIe century, one assists with incursions on behalf of the wandering Urghamma and Akkara coming from the area of Djefarra. In 1705 and 1706, the Peste makes devastation on the island and reviend in 1809. In 1794, the island is plundered by an adventurer named Ali Burghul during 58 days and, in 1864, it is again reached by nomads of the area of Zarzis. This same year, a news epidemic of plague and a revolt are raised. In 1846, Ahmed I Bey prohibits the slavery, act which affects the economy island which is then one of the most important centers commercial of the slaves in Tunisia, with Gabès, where arrive the Caravane S of slaves coming from the Oasis of Ghadamès and Ghat. The trade will move thereafter towards Tripoli.

Modern period

Demography

In 2004, footballer

Férid Ghazi, writer
Menachem Mazouz, Israeli public prosecutor
Héla Rokbi, stimulating on Tunis 7

Random links: