Tunisia at the time medieval

The Tunisia at the time medieval is marked by the urban development of the country and the appearance of large thinkers such as the historian and father of the modern Sociologie Ibn Khaldoun.

Arab invasions

3 forwardings are necessary so that the Arab succeed in conquering the Tunisia. In this context, the conversion of the tribes is not held uniformly and knows resistances, specific Apostasie S or the adoption of Syncrétisme S. the Arabisation will still be done in a slower way.

The first forwarding is launched in 647. The exarque Gregoire is beaten with Sbeïtla, which shows the existence of weak points at the Byzantine . In 661, the one second forwarding is launched and ends in the catch of Bizerte. The third, carried out in 670 by Oqba Ibn Nafaa is decisive: Ibn Nafaa founds the town of Kairouan during the same year and the city becomes the center of the forwardings launched against the north and the west of the the Maghreb. The complete invasion failed to fail with the assassination of Ibn Nafaa in 683 and the Byzantines manage to drive out the Arab troops out of Kairouan. These last return in 688 but are pushed back in Libya. In 695, they succeed in taking Carthage with the Greeks but the Byzantines take it again in 696. The city is definitively conquered in 698.

Contrary to the preceding invaders, the Arabs are not satisfied to occupy the coast and undertake to conquer the interior of the country. After having once more valiantly resisted, the Berber , after the defeat of Kahena, convert with the religion of their new conquerors. However, refusing the assimilation, they are numerous to reject the dominant religion and to adhere to the Kharidjisme, Hérésie born in the East and proclaiming the equality of all the Moslems without reference to races nor of classes. In 745, the Berber kharidjites seize Kairouan besides. The area remains a province omeyyade until in 750.

Aghlabides

Fatimides

Zirides and Hammadides

Khourassanides

The small kingdom of Tunis joins again little by little with the foreign trade and finds peace and prosperity under the reign of the Khourassanides. Apart from Tunis, which lives in a relative stability, other ports of Ifriqiya undergo the domination of the Normands of Sicily. At the same time, in the mountains of the High Atlas Morocco Ain, in the middle of the Berber tribe of Masmouda, is born, under the impulse of the sheik Ibn Tûmart, the dynasty of the Almohades. A few years later, the successor of Mahdi, his disciple and friendly Abd Al-Mumin will take the title of caliph and leaves Marrakech with the conquest of the the Maghreb.

Almohades

Hafsides

See also: Hafsides

In released and promoted Tunis capital of Ifriqiya, Muhammad year-Nasir installs as governor sheik Abd Al-Wâhid ibn Hafs. In 1228, his/her son Abû Zakariyâ' Yahyâ seizes the capacity and, one year later, is freed from the capacity almohade of Marrakech, takes the title of emir and founds the dynasty of the Hafsides which becomes completely independent as of 1236. He undertakes the conquest of the Maghreb at once. In 1245, its authority is recognized until Fès. With his death, his/her son Abû “Abd Allah Muhammad inherits a powerful empire. This last continues the work of his/her father. In 1253, it takes the title of “emir of the believers” and “the honorary Al-Mustansir” nickname. Under its reign, the sovereignty of the caliphate hafside is recognized by the sovereigns of Andalusia, the Abdalwadides of Tlemcen, the Mérinides of Fès and even the Chérif of Mecque.

In 1270, Louis IX of France deviates the Eighth crusade, at the origin intended for the Holy Land, on Carthage. Tunis besieged by the Christian armies succeeds in pushing back all the attacks of its enemies. The death of Louis IX puts an end to the war and involves the signature of a peace treaty between the Christian powers and the caliph hafside. According to Ibn Khaldoun: The French passed by again in their country and it was as they dropped their power and their domination. Since then, their decline will not stop…

Abû `Abd Allah Muhammad Al-Mustansir dies in 1277. Its succession is done in a great confusion and dark Ifriqiya in a crisis which involves the weakening of the dynasty. The end of the 13th century is dominated by the fight against Mérinides and the bursting of the kingdom in several small autonomous principalities like those of Béjaïa and Constantine. The main cities of Ifriqiya are delivered to the Arab tribes and to the Christians. Seul Tunis, as notes it the El-Abdery traveller in 1289, remains a center of trade and studies independent. During all first half of the 14th century, Mérinides, Abdelouadides and Hafsides dispute the control of the Maghreb. In 1370, the emir Abû Al `Abbâs Ahmad Al-Mustansir succeeds in restoring the authority hafside on Ifriqiya. The country again finds peace and prosperity and accommodates a few thousands of Andalusians. It is probably at that time that is established the use of the race in Mediterranean against the Christian ships. According to Ibn Khaldoun, this one is practiced towards 1360 starting from the ports of the central Maghreb and Ifriqiya and mainly of Béjaïa which was the cradle: The race is done in the following way: a more or less many company corsairs is organized. They build a ship and choose to assemble it men of a tested bravery. These warriors carry out Raid S on the coasts and inhabited islands by the Francs. They there arrive at the improvist and remove all that falls to them under the hand, they attack also the ships and the infidels, very often seize some and return on their premises charged with spoils and prisoners. Of this manner, Béjaïa and the other ports the empire hafside fill of prisoners. The streets resound of the noise of their chains especially when these unhappy charged with iron and yokes is spread on all sides to work with their task day laborer. One fixes the price of their repurchase ata rate so high that it was very difficult for them and often even impossible of the acquitter. the race takes a rapid expansion and the kingdom hafside in the car of the important incomes. The reaction of the Christian powers is not made wait. The Génois, the Sicilians, the French then the Spanish are turned over against the ports of Ifriqiya.

Abû Fâris `Abd Al `Azîz Al-Mutawakkil, which succeeds his/her father in 1393, succeeds in maintaining the stability of the country and restoring the authority hafside on the central Maghreb. With its death in 1434, its successor designated, Abû `Abd AIlâh Muhammad Al-Mutansir, deceased little time after its establishment, is replaced at once by his/her brother Abû `Umar `Uthmân. This one continues the work of his/her father but its reign, which lasts nearly 60 years, is often disturbed by the revolts of the Arab tribes and the various natural disasters which fall down on Ifriqiya such as the epidemic S of Peste and the long periods of Sécheresse. The death of Abû `Umar `Uthmân, occurred in 1494, hardly 2 years after the fall of Grenade, announces the end of the dynasties reigning in the Maghreb and in Ifriqiya. At the end of the 15th century, the territory controlled by Hafsides is limited almost to the only city of Tunis. This Ifriqiya, declining but rich, remains under the threat of the Christian powers.

The sovereigns of Spain, Ferdinand d' Aragon and Isabelle de Castille, to protect their coasts, decide to continue the Reconquête until on the Maghrebian coasts. In ten years, they conquer several cities: Seas el Kébir, Oran, Candle, Tripoli and a small island located at broad of Algiers. To release itself some, the authorities of Algiers request the assistance of 2 famous corsairs: the brothers Arudj and Khayr AD-DIN Barberousse. This intervention is an major event which marks the one period beginning of confrontation between Spain and the Ottoman Empire for the domination of the territories of the Maghreb and that of the Western basin of the Mediterranean. It is in this context that occurs the arrival in the Maghreb, in particular in Tunisia, of thousands of Moslem Moors and Jewish Andalusian driven out of Spain by the Reconquête (or Reconquista ).

Towards the Othoman domination

In 1534, Khayr AD-DIN Barberousse seizes Tunis but is obliged to flee after the catch of the city by the Spaniards of Charles Quint. The Othoman government then decides to finally obtain the fleet which it misses. In 1560, Dragut takes foot in Tunisia, following the Bataille of Jerba, and, 35 years later, Tunis is definitively taken again by the Othomans. In 1575, Tunisia becomes a province of the empire but the governors live cut off in the ports, the Bedouin being delivered to themselves. The conquest of the interior is really completed only by Ali I Bey and Hammouda Bey. Tunis, but also Algiers and Tripoli, become consequently for the Christians “regencies Barbaresque S”.

The 17th century sees a progressive emancipation of regencies with respect to the Othoman supervision because, the Othomans being very few in the Maghreb, their role does not cease decreasing with the profit of the natives. At the end of a few years of Turkish administration (1590), the 8000 Janissaire S of Tunis rise and place at the report heading a dey, and his order, a bey in charge of the control of the territory and collection of the taxes. Quickly, this last becomes the main character of regency at the sides of the pasha, which is confined in the honorary role of representative of the Othoman sultan, so much so that a dynasty beylicale is founded by Mourad Ier in 1612. During the same period, the activities of the corsairs know their paroxysm because increasing autonomy with respect to the sultan involves a fall of his financial support and regencies must thus increase the number of their catches on sea in order to survive. Regularly, from the thousands of Turks and Othomans come to be established, voluntarily, in search of adventure and richness or condemned to the exile, in the regency of Tunis.

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