Tunisia History

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Tunisia

History

General History

During the sixteenth century, the Ottoman Turks invaded North Africa and made Tunisia into a virtually independent state subject only to nominal control. The Tunisians were permitted to be governed by their own rulers, the Beys.

In 1881, France established a protectorate over Tunisia, which made it into a quasi-colony. The French permitted the continuation of political rule by the Beys, but exercised strong economic and political control over the country.

Independence movements developed gradually after World War II. In 1956, France agreed to withdraw its protectorate, and Tunisia became independent, establishing a democratic republic.

Timeline

1534 - The first Ottoman conquest of Tunis took place but, it wasn't until the final Ottoman reconquest of Tunis from Spain that the Ottomans permanently acquired the former Hafsid Tunisia
1881 - The French invaded with an army and forced the Bey to agree to the terms of the Treaty of Bardo that made Tunisia a French protectorate, over the objections of Italy
1906 - 1945 French colonists grew from 34,000 in 1906 to 144,000 in 1945
1910 - There were 105,000 Italians in Tunisia
1956 - Tunisia achieved independence from France