Arab Conquest & Middle Ages
The Arab Conquest (647–709)
In the 7th century, the Arab armies reached North Africa. In 670 AD, the general Oqba ibn Nafi founded the city of Kairouan as a military camp — it became the first Islamic capital of the Maghreb and remains a spiritual center to this day.
The Arab conquest fundamentally changed Tunisia: The population, which had been Roman-Christian (the Church Father Augustine came from nearby Algeria), was Islamized and partially Arabized. The Berbers (Amazigh), the indigenous people of North Africa, adopted Islam but retained their language and customs in many places.
The Great Dynasties
- Aghlabids (800–909): Builders of the Great Mosque of Kairouan, the ribats of Sousse and Monastir, and the Aghlabid Basins. Tunisia experienced a cultural flourishing.
- Fatimids (909–972): Founders of the new capital Mahdia and a powerful caliphate, which later shifted to Egypt (founding of Cairo).
- Hafsid (1229–1574): The golden era of Tunisia. Under the Hafsids, Tunis became the capital and a center of trade and scholarship. The Medina of Tunis flourished, and the Ez-Zitouna University was one of the most prestigious in the Islamic world.
Ottoman Period (1574–1881)
In 1574, the Ottomans conquered Tunisia. The country was initially governed as a province but soon developed considerable autonomy under local rulers:
- Deys and Beys: Tunisia was de facto independently governed. The Husainid Dynasty (1705–1957) ruled for over 250 years.
- Piracy: Tunis was one of the strongholds of the Barbary pirates, who captured European ships in the Mediterranean. The wealth from piracy financed magnificent palaces and mosques.
- Modernization: In 1861, Tunisia became the first Arab country to receive a constitution. Slavery was abolished in 1846 — 17 years before the USA!
