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The
Hafsid dynasty began to decline in the second half of the 16th
century and the Hafsid sultan had to submit to the Spaniards who had
occupied Tunis in 1535. The city was liberated by the Turks in 1569
only to be re-conquered by the Spanish in 1573. In 1574 an Ottoman
flotilla under the command of Minister Sinan Pasha put an end both
to the Spanish occupation and the Hafsid dynasty.
From
1574 to 1705 Tunisia became an Ottoman province governed by Deys
then by a dynasty that was practically autonomous from the Ottoman
Caliphate: the dynasty of the Mouradit Beys.
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Several
reforms were carried out during the 19th century: founding of the
Polytechnic School (1840), reorganisation of the curriculum at the
religious institution of higher learning Zitouna, (1842), creation
of a modern standing army (1843), abolition of slavery (1846),
promulgation of the Fundamental Pact (1857) considered as a
declaration of human rights, and adoption of a Constitution (1861). |
On May 12th, 1881 France, which had
been present in Algeria for half a century, took advantage of a
weakening of the Beys' authority and of a mounting external debt, to
impose by the Treaty of Bardo a protectorate over the country.
From the beginning of occupation national resistance got organised
in various forms: armed struggle, cultural and social actions as
well as an intense political activity.
The country was granted an internal autonomy in 1954 and acceded to
independence in 1956.
On July
25th, 1957 the monarchy was abolished and the republic
proclaimed. In November 1959 Habib Bourguiba is elected first
President of the Republic.
On November 7th, 1987 Zine El Abidine Ben Ali becomes President of
the Republic and his first act in that capacity was to issue the
Declaration of November 7th, 1987 which guarantees democracy,
pluralism, the primacy of law and respect of human rights.
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