The Maltese in Tunisia before the Protectorate, 1850s-1870s: Towards a Revised Image

During the waning years of the Ottoman Empire, increasing numbers of Europeans migrated to the Regency of Tunis. Maltese represented over half of these migrants from the north, and yet little is known about the Maltese contribution to pre-colonial Tunisian society. Many northern European contemporaries noted the Maltese presence, but their writings have limitations that are outlined here. This paper considers new source material, the documents of the British consular authorities, who closely monitored and assisted their Maltese charges. This material suggests that we revise our image of the Maltese. While we find further evidence of Maltese poverty and liminality, abundant evidence suggests that Maltese settlers were aware of and in many cases even exploited their liminal social status to their advantage. A revised portrait of a European population working alongside their Tunisian counterparts emerges.

Title	The Maltese in Tunisia before the Protectorate, 1850s-1870s: Towards a Revised Image
Creator	Smith, Andrea L.
Publisher	Journal of Mediterranean Studies
Academic Department	Anthropology & Sociology
Division	Social Sciences
Organization	Lafayette College
Date Issued	2000
Date Available	2023-03-29
Type	Article
Language	English
Bibliographic Citation	Smith, A. L. (2000) "The Maltese in Tunisia before the Protectorate, 1850s-1870s: Towards a Revised Image." Journal of Mediterranean Studies 10 (1/2): 183-202.
Standard Identifier	Handle 10385/z890rv703
Permalink	http://hdl.handle.net/10385/z890rv703
Rights Statement	In Copyright
Rights Holders	Mediterranean Institute, University of Malta