From Hafsid Tunisia to Ottoman Tunisia in the sixteenth century: Conditions and Causes

Abstract

This article deals with an important station in the history of Tunisia, where the sixteenth century is considered a qualitative leap in the transition from the rule of the Hafids to that of the Ottomans, who were at the height of their power. However, there were circumstances and conditions that characterised Tunisia during this important period of the sixteenth century. Internal conditions alone were not enough to change the situation; there were also external challenges that Tunisia had to overcome, particularly from the Spanish, who had ambitions along the Mediterranean coast. The emergence of the Ottomans in the region changed the Spanish plans. In this paper we will examine the conditions of the transition from the Hafsid to the Ottoman period, as well as the main features and characteristics of the Ottoman period in Tunisia during the sixteenth century.