Beylik of Tunis
Tunisia, 1705–1881. Draft, not yet reviewed
The Beylik of Tunis was the legal form of present-day Tunisia, between 1705 and 1881. It was ruled by the Husainid dynasty until the establishment of the French protectorate of Tunisia. The Beys remained faithful to the Sublime Porte, but reigned as monarchs after gradually gaining independence from the Ottoman Empire. Between 1861 and 1864, the Beylik of Tunis became a constitutional monarchy after adopting the first constitution in Africa and the Arab world.
Seat of power: Tunis
Rulers
Al-Husayn I ibn Ali
Bey of Tunis, 1705–1735
He was the founder of the Husainid Dynasty, which ruled Tunisia until the abolition of the monarchy in 1957. Under Hussein I, support was provided to agriculture, especially planting olive orchards. Public works such as mosques and madrassa (schools) were undertaken.
Portrait of Al-Husayn I ibn Ali: Hermann von Pückler-Muskau, CC BY-SA 3.0, file
Abu l-Hasan Ali I
Bey of Tunis, 1735–1756
He was the second leader of the Husainid Dynasty and the ruler of Tunisia from 1735 to 1756. With the help of the dey of Algiers, he defeated Husayn in 1735.
Portrait of Abu l-Hasan Ali I: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
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Muhammad I ar-Rashid
Bey of Tunis, 1756–1759
He was the third leader of the Husainid Dynasty and the ruler of Tunisia from 1756 until his death.
Portrait of Muhammad I ar-Rashid: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
Ali II ibn Hussein
Bey of Tunis, 1759–1782
He was the fourth leader of the Husainid dynasty and the ruler of Tunisia from 1759 until his death in 1782.
Portrait of Ali II ibn Hussein: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
Hammuda Pasha Bey
Bey of Tunis, 1782–1814
He was the fifth leader of the Husainid dynasty and the ruler of Tunisia from 26 May 1782 until his death on 15 September 1814.
Mahmud ibn Muhammad
Bey of Tunis, 1814–1824
He was the seventh leader of the Husainid Dynasty and the ruler of Tunisia from 1814 until his death in 1824.
Uthman ibn Ali II
Bey of Tunis, 1814–1814
He was the sixth leader of the Husainid Dynasty and the ruler of Tunisia briefly in 1814.
Al-Husayn II ibn Mahmud
Bey of Tunis, 1824–1835
He was the Bey of Tunis from 1824 until his death in 1835.
Mustafa I of Tunisia
Bey of Tunis, 1835–1837
He was the ninth leader of the Husainid Dynasty and the ruler of Tunisia from 1835 until his death in 1837.
Ahmad I ibn Mustafa
Bey of Tunis, 1837–1855
He was responsible for the abolition of slavery in Tunisia in 1846. He had grand ambitions to expand his army and create a modern navy, but many of his projects became expensive failures which damaged the financial health of the country.
Portrait of Ahmad I ibn Mustafa: Charles-Philippe Larivière, CC0, file
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Muhammad II ibn al-Husayn
Bey of Tunis, 1855–1859
He retained his predecessor's key minister Mustapha Khaznadar as Grand vizier.
Portrait of Muhammad II ibn al-Husayn: Auguste Moynier (1813-1865), Public domain, file
Muhammad III as-Sadiq
Bey of Tunis, 1859–1882
He was the Husainid Bey of Tunis from 1859 until his death. In July 1860, the Bey was persuaded by the British consul, Richard Wood, to allow a British subject named Holt to set up the first official printing press, as well as the first Arabic-language newspaper in the country, the ar-Ra'id at-Tūnisi.
Portrait of Muhammad III as-Sadiq: Louis Simil (1822-?), Public domain, file
Culture
- These reforms included the abolition of slavery, the foundation of the military school of Bardo in 1840, the Sadiki College in 1875, and the adoption in 1861 of the first constitution of Africa and the Arab world, becoming a constitutional monarchy.
- The country had its own currency and an independent army, and in 1831 it adopted its flag, which is still in use today.
- Hussein I appointed as qadi a Tunisian Maliki jurist, instead of an Hanafi preferred by the Ottomans.
Picture
The Bardo National Museum has been housed in an old beylical palace since 1888.
Image: Céline Rabaud, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.