French protectorate in Tunisia
| French protectorate of Tunisia | ||||||||||
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Protectorat français de Tunisie الحماية الفرنسية في تونس |
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| Protectorate of France | ||||||||||
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Anthem (instrumental only) |
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 Tunisia (dark blue)
French possessions in Africa (light blue) 1913 |
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| Capital | Tunis | |||||||||
| Languages |
French Italian Berber languages Standard Arabic Tunisian Arabic Judeo-Tunisian Arabic Turkish |
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| Religion |
Roman Catholicism Judaism Sunni Islam |
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| Government | Constitutional monarchy | |||||||||
| Bey | ||||||||||
| • | 1859–1882 | Muhammad III as-Sadiq (first) | ||||||||
| • | 1943–1956 | Muhammad VIII al-Amin (last) | ||||||||
| Resident-General | ||||||||||
| • | 1885–1886 | Paul Cambon (first) | ||||||||
| • | 1954–1955 | Pierre Boyer de Latour du Moulin (last) | ||||||||
| High Commissioner | ||||||||||
| • | 1955–1956 | Roger Seydoux Fornier de Clausonne | ||||||||
| History | ||||||||||
| • | Treaty of Bardo | May 12, 1881 | ||||||||
| • | Battle of Tunisia | 1942–1943 | ||||||||
| • | Independence | March 20, 1956 | ||||||||
| Area | ||||||||||
| • | 1881 est. | 155,000 km2 (60,000 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Population | ||||||||||
| • | 1939 est. est. | 2,600,000 | ||||||||
| Density | 17/km2 (43/sq mi) | |||||||||
| Currency |
Tunisian rial (until 1891) Tunisian franc (1891–1958) |
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The French protectorate of Tunisia (French: Protectorat français de Tunisie; Arabic: الحماية الفرنسية في تونس al-Ḥimāya al-Fransīya fī Tūnis) was established in 1881, during the French colonial Empire era, and lasted until Tunisian independence in 1956.
Tunisia formed a province of the decaying Ottoman Empire but enjoyed a large measure of autonomy under the bey Muhammad III as-Sadiq. In 1877, Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire. Russian victory foreshadowed the dismemberment of the empire, including independence for several Balkan possessions and international discussions about the future of the North African provinces. The Berlin Congress of 1878 convened to resolve the Ottoman question. Britain, although opposed to total dismantling of the Ottoman Empire, offered France control of Tunisia, in return for Cyprus. Germany, seeing the French claim as a way to divert French attention from vengeful action in Europe, after the Franco-Prussian War, and little concerned about the southern Mediterranean, agreed to allow France overlordship in Tunisia. Italy, which had economic interests in Tunisia, strongly opposed the plan but was unable to impose its will.
The French presence in Tunisia came five decades after their occupation of neighboring Algeria, the time when the French were still inexperienced about and lacked the knowledge of how to develop a colony. Both of these countries had been possessions of the Ottoman Empire for three centuries, yet each had long ago attained political autonomy from the Sultan in Constantinople. Before the French arrived, Tunisia had begun a process of modern reforms, but financial difficulties mounted until the installation of a commission of European creditors. After their occupation the French government assumed Tunisia's international obligations. Major developments and improvements were undertaken by the French in several areas, including transport and infrastructure, industry, the financial system, public health, and administration. Yet French business and its citizens were favored, not to the liking of Tunisians. Their preexisting national sense was early expressed in speech and in print; political organization followed. The independence movement was already active before World War I, and continued to gain strength against mixed French opposition. Its ultimate aim was achieved in 1956.
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Wikipedia