The siege of Tunis was a siege fought in 1694, between the Deylik of Algiers, and Muradid Tunis, during the Tunisian-Algerian War of 1694.

Background

The Tunisian prince Mohammed ben Cheker asked the

dey Dey (Arabic: داي), from the Turkish honorific title ''dayı'', literally meaning uncle, was the title given to the rulers of the Regency of Algiers (Algeria), Tripoli,Bertarelli (1929), p. 203. and Tunis under the Ottoman Empire from 1671 o ...

of Algiers, at the time

Hadj Chabane The Hajj (; ar, حَجّ '; sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji or Haj in English) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried ...

, for help in order to make himself

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 ...

Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...

. The

of Algiers accepted his proposal, invaded Tunisia in 1694, and defeated the Tunisian army at the Battle of Kef on June 24. Chabane then marched on

Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...

, where Mohammed Bey el-Mouradi took refuge after his defeat. The goal of Chabane was to make Tunis a simple governorate (Beylik) in a similar fashion to the other Beyliks of Algeria, such as the Beylik of Constantine.

Siege

The Algerian army a arrived in front of

Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...

in August and started the siege. Despite the efforts of the Tunisian defenders,

Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...

fell after 3 months, and the Algerians plundered the city on 12 November 1694, and Tunis fell under the control of the Dey of Algiers, with administration by Chaabane Khodja and Ben Cheker. Ben Cheker became the Bey of Tunis forcing Mohammed Bey el-Mouradi to flee to

Chios Chios (; el, Χίος, Chíos , traditionally known as Scio in English) is the fifth largest Greek island, situated in the northern Aegean Sea. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. Chios is notable for its exports of masti ...

or the Sahara.

Aftermath

Mohammed Bey el-Mouradi fled to Chios or the Sahara and Ben Cheker reigned over Tunis for six months as a governor for Algiers, but his reign was tyrannical and led the Tunisians to appeal to Mohammed Bey el-Mouradi in exile The latter defeated Ben Cheker On May 1, 1695 at the Battle of Merguellil, near Kairouan, and made himself bey of Tunis again.

References

{{Reflist Ottoman Tunisia Ottoman Algeria Wars involving Tunisia Wars involving Algeria 1694 in Africa

Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...