Murad Bey (), died 1631
[Ibn Abi Dhiaf, ''Présent des hommes de notre temps. Chroniques des rois de Tunis et du pacte fondamental'', vol. II, éd. Maison tunisienne de l'édition, Tunis, 1990, p. 41] was the first hereditary
bey
Bey ( ota, بك, beğ, script=Arab, tr, bey, az, bəy, tk, beg, uz, бек, kz, би/бек, tt-Cyrl, бәк, translit=bäk, cjs, пий/пек, sq, beu/bej, sh, beg, fa, بیگ, beyg/, tg, бек, ar, بك, bak, gr, μπέης) is ...
of
Tunis
''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois
, population_note =
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, timezone1 = CET
, utc_offset1 ...
, founder of the
Muradid
The Muradid dynasty was a dynasty of beys that ruled Tunisia from 1613 to 1702. They were succeeded in 1705 by the Husainid dynasty.
History
The dynasty was founded by Murad I Bey, a janissary of Corsican origin. Ramdan Bey, ruler of Tunis, had ...
dynasty. He reigned from 1613 until his death.
Biography
Originally from
Corsica
Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...
and named Jacques Senti, he was captured by the Tunisian
corsair
A corsair is a privateer or pirate, especially:
* Barbary corsair, Ottoman and Berber pirates and privateers operating from North Africa
* French corsairs, privateers operating on behalf of the French crown
Corsair may also refer to:
Arts and ...
s at the age of nine and bought by the first bey of Tunis, the old
mameluke
Mamluk ( ar, مملوك, mamlūk (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural), translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave", also transliterated as ''Mameluke'', ''mamluq'', ''mamluke'', ''mameluk'', ''mameluke'', ''mamaluke'', or ''marmeluke'') i ...
Ramadhan. He was promoted by the bey, who made him his lieutenant (''kahia'') in 1613, and participated in missions to pacify the hinterland and collect taxes at the head of armed battalions called ''mhalla''. He allied himself to
Yusuf Dey Yusuf Dey (c.1560 in Tripoli – 1637 at Tunis) was Dey of Tunis from 1610 until his death.
Biography
Son of Mustapha El Turki, an Ottoman Turkish soldier stationed at Tripoli, he took up a post in the militia of Tunis. He was recognised by ...
and received his old master's position after his death in 1613. He was enriched by the corsairs and subsequently obtained the title of
pasha
Pasha, Pacha or Paşa ( ota, پاشا; tr, paşa; sq, Pashë; ar, باشا), in older works sometimes anglicized as bashaw, was a higher rank in the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, gener ...
of Tunis from the Ottoman government, along with the right of his son and heir
Hamuda Bey to inherit the title of Bey, with the agreement of Yusuf Dey.
Thus he became the founder of a dynasty of Beys who came to enjoy a controlling role in the government of Tunisia.
Murad Bey enjoyed the respect of the Ottoman sultan, but also wide administrative autonomy and a unique degree of political independence, without doubt a result of his geographic distance from
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
and of the
jihad
Jihad (; ar, جهاد, jihād ) is an Arabic word which literally means "striving" or "struggling", especially with a praiseworthy aim. In an Islamic context, it can refer to almost any effort to make personal and social life conform with Go ...
which the Tunisian corsairs carried on against
Christendom
Christendom historically refers to the Christian states, Christian-majority countries and the countries in which Christianity dominates, prevails,SeMerriam-Webster.com : dictionary, "Christendom"/ref> or is culturally or historically intertwine ...
. In fact, the government of Tunis (the
dey
Dey (Arabic: داي), from the Turkish honorific title ''dayı'', literally meaning uncle, was the title given to the rulers of the Ottoman Algeria, Regency of Algiers (Algeria), Tripoli, Libya, Tripoli,Bertarelli (1929), p. 203. and Ottoman Tu ...
, the bey, and the
divan
A divan or diwan ( fa, دیوان, ''dīvān''; from Sumerian ''dub'', clay tablet) was a high government ministry in various Islamic states, or its chief official (see ''dewan'').
Etymology
The word, recorded in English since 1586, meanin ...
) were able to conclude peace treaties and commercial agreements with the rulers of the major states of Europe independently of the Sultan. He contented himself with appointing a pasha, theoretically the supreme representative of the Ottoman government in Tunis, every three years and with receiving the traditional tribute in kind from the diwan on these occasions.
The men in power in Tunis demanded from the cities and tribes of the interior only the minimal level of deference necessary to maintain order and security. The bey did not, legally speaking, exact taxes but only a sort of annual tribute and so long as this was paid he left them to live according to their norms and customs. Under the first Muradid beys, Tunis acquired a real prosperity through commercial activity, piracy, and the regular collection of tribute.
In the domain of art, the
Great Mosque of Kairouan received some restoration work in the reign of Murad Bey who wished to leave his mark on the ancient monument, mostly some painted ceilings in the prayer hall. This work is dated to 1028
AH (= 1618).
[Georges Marçais, ''Coupole et plafonds de la Grande Mosquée de Kairouan'', éd. Tournier, Paris, 1925, p. 59]
References
{{reflist
Bibliography
*
Arthur Pellegrin
Arthur is a common male given name of Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. Another theory, more wi ...
, ''Histoire illustrée de Tunis et de sa banlieue''. éd. Saliba, Tunis, 1955
Muradid dynasty
People from Corsica
1631 deaths
Deaths in Tunisia
Converts to Islam from Christianity
Tunisian people of French descent