The occupation of Tunis by the troops of the French Army is installation at spring 1881. It will be completed only with the independence of the Tunisia in 1956.

The general Jules Aimé Bréart, who orders the unloaded column with Bizerte between the 3 with the May 6th 1881, camps with his troops with Manouba the 11 and May 12th. He has in hand the text of the treated protectorate which to him was cabled the day before by the French government.

May 11th with 13:00, the Bréart general, the general consul Theodore Roustan and the general Pierre Leon Maurand, accompanied by a Squadron of escort, announce themselves with the Bey de Tunis, then in its residence with Ksar Saïd, for an urgent communication and make him take note of the clauses of the treaty. Sadok Bey, surprised and thrown into a panic, request a few hours to reflect and joins together its cabinet at once. Certain members of the council insist that the bey escapes towards Kairouan to organize resistance there but Sadok Bey finally decides to accept the French protectorate. Under the threat of the French troops, camped with a few meters of its residence and in the evening even, the treaty is signed by the 2 parts.

However, the bey requests the Bréart general not to insert his troops in Tunis of fear of the disorders which could be followed some, the city being under the blow of a deep emotion compared to the events which have just occurred. The Bréart general announces this desire at the French government which gives the order not to occupy the city immediately. However, the May 15th with 10:00, the general goes with a weak escort to the house from France to Tunis where it is received by Roustan which has just been named resident general of France and Ambassador plenipotentiary by his government. To 16:00, the Bréart general, from return with Manouba, reviews the troops camped to the accesses of the locality and this, in the middle of a large crowd of Europeans come to accommodate the new conquerors.

The French government believes, at the beginning of the month of June 1881, that the troops of occupation are then sufficient for the catch of regency. At once, a general rising of tribes bursts in the center and the south of the country, which requires more troops. These troops intervene then in the areas of the center and of the south which will remain in state of rebelled sporadic until the end of the occupation in 1956.

The 6 and October 7th 1881, the Logerot general make occupy the hill of the View-point where it installs a battery of Artillerie which holds the city under its guns. It makes also occupy the forts of Sidi Belhassen and Rabta. The October 10th, a battalion of infantry installs her camp on the which occurred of the Navy and near the house of France, quickly become the general residence, while the Kasbah is occupied by 2 battalions of Infanterie and that an artillery battery penetrates in the Citadelle by the Western doors giving on Séjoumi. The French flag is then hoisted on the kasbah.