The Ottoman Empire and Turkish rule (1574
to 1881)
By 1574, all that was left to bear reference to the Spanish period in
Tunisia, were a series of impressive fortresses along the coastline. The
Turks imposed their rule out of Constantinople. In 1587, Tunisia, the
same as Libya and Algeria, became a province in the Ottoman Empire,
under the direct government of a pasha.
In 1590, several lower ranking officers (deys) started a rebellion. One
of the mutineers, helped by a few local notables and corsair captains,
used tax extortion in order to take seize of power. The beys,
non-commissioned officers in the Turkish army, however gradually
succeeded in regaining power. A new ruling dynasty was installed in 1702
: the Husseinite dynasty, founded by Hussein ibn Ali Turki. They
appointed a bey to govern Tunisia from Tunis.
The Husseinites remained the leading class, without interruption, until
the abolition of the monarchy and the foundation of the Tunisian
republic in 1957