Ottoman Documents on the House of Hussein Pasha of Tunis in Istanbul

Abstract

This article examines the rule of the Turkish Pasha Abu Muhammad Hussein over the province of Tunis (1591-1596) through three archival documents preserved in the Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul. The documents reveal Hussein Pasha's purchase of a luxurious property in Beşiktaş, which includes two floors, a garden, and a stable, reflecting his desire to return to the centre of the Caliphate. The documents also illustrate the inclination of Turkish Pashas to settle near the tomb of Hayreddin Barbarossa and the Sinan Pasha Mosque. Furthermore, the article highlights the financial capability of the Pashas of the Western Odjak to acquire seaside palaces despite the economic crises that afflicted the capital of the Caliphate and the Tunisian Eyalet at that time.