Turks in Tunisia
The Turks in Tunisia, also known as Turco-Tunisians and Tunisian Turks, (; ; ) are ethnic Turks who constitute one of the minority groups in Tunisia. In 1534, with about 10,000 Turkish soldiers, the Ottoman Empire took control and settled in the region when Tunisia's inhabitants called for help due to fears that the Spanish would invade the country. Thus, during the Ottoman rule, the Turkish community dominated the political life of the region for centuries; as a result, the ethnic mix of Tunisia changed considerably with the continuous migration of Turks from Anatolia, as well as other parts of the Ottoman territories, for over 300 years. In addition, some Turks intermarried with the local population and their male offspring were called "Kouloughlis". Consequently, the terms "Turks" and "Kouloughlis" have traditionally been used to distinguish between those of full and partial Turkish ancestry. In northern Cap Bon, the town of Hammam Ghezèze ( "Oghuz's bath") is populated with descendants of Oghuz Turks (Ghezèze and Aghzaz being Arabic for "Oghuz"). Demographics Families of Turkish origin live mainly near the coastal cities, such as Tunis, Mahdia, Hammamet and the islands (such as Djerba), although there are also many living within central Tunisia as well. Culture Language In 2012 the Tunisian government introduced the Turkish language in all Tunisian secondary schools. Religion The Ottoman Turks brought with them the teaching of the Hanafi School of Islam during the Ottoman rule of Tunisia, which still survives among the Turkish-descended families today. Traditionally, Turco-Tunisian mosques have octagonal minarets. Examples of Ottoman-Turkish mosques include: Notable people The Turks in Tunisia were traditionally a privileged élite in Tunisia who held positions in the military and the bureaucracy. However, by the nineteenth century, marriages with the local population linked the ruling families to indigenous notables. At this time, many Turks also turned to commerce and the crafts, initially in the Souq el-Trouk (the Bazaar of the Turks), where a considerable number of merchants of Turkish ancestry emerged. The Turks also entered the corps of artisans. The Ben Romdhan family, of Turkish origin, claim much of the notable Tunisian families of Mahdia such as the Hamza, Turki, Gazdagli, Agha, and Snène families. Other prominent Tunisian families of Turkish origin include the , , El Materis, , , Mamis and the s. Ahmed Abdelkefi, economist , historian Mahmoud Aslan, writer , politician Al-Husayn I ibn Ali at-Turki, founder of the Husainid Dynasty Mohamed Salah Baratli, resistant of the French occupation, opponent of President Bourguiba, human rights activist , religious cleric , religious cleric , intellectual , religious cleric , religious cleric Asma Belkhodja, pioneer of the Tunisian feminist movement , politician Ali Bach Hamba, journalist and politician Mohamed Bach Hamba, writer Mahmoud Ben Mahmoud, filmmaker Yasemin Besson, wife of Éric Besson Hassen Bouhajeb, doctor , journalist Ahmed Chérif, doctor , doctor Mustapha Dinguizli, politician Ali Douagi, literary and cultural icon Abderrahman Dziri, medical researcher Mustafa Elkatipzade, Fenerbahçe football manager Nazli Fadhel, pioneer of the Tunisian feminist movement Sadok Ghileb, politician