Mahdia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mahdia, (Arabic: المهدية al-Mahdiya), is a Tunisian coastal ceety wi 37,000 inhabitants, sooth o Monastir an sootheast o Sousse.
Mahdia is a provincial centre north o Sfax. It is important for the associated fish-processing industry, as well as weaving.[1] It is the capital of Mahdia Governorate.
A ceety awready existit at this site durin the time o the Phoenicians an Romans, but wis destroyed durin the Arab conquest o North Africae. Mahdia wis foondit bi the Fatimids unner the Caliph Abdallah al-Mahdi in 921 an made the caipital ceety o Ifriqiya, bi caliph Abdallah El Fatimi.[2] It wis chosen the caipital acause o its proximity tae the sea, an the promontory on which an important military settlement haed been syne the time o the Phoenicians.[1] In 1087 the toun wis attacked bi raidin ships frae Genoa an Pisa who burned the Muslim fleet in the harbor. This played a critical role in winnin control o the Wastren Mediterranean an allouin the First Crusade tae be supplied bi sea.[3] The Zirid dynasty haed its residence here in the 11t century, but wis brocht tae an end bi the Norman conquest o the ceety in 1148. In 1160 the ceety comes unner Almohad rule.[4]
The role o the caipital wis taken ower bi Tunis in the 13t century durin the Hafsid Dynasty. Some biggins still exist frae the 10t an 11t centuries, such as the Great Mosque an the Casbah, which hae helped make the ceety an important tourist attraction.
Later the ceety wis subject tae mony raids. In 1390 a French crusader airmy laid siege tae the ceety but failed tae take it. Eventually the ceety wis destroyed an burnt doun bi the Spainyie.[2]
Mahdia wus an aa the site whaur Khaled Abdelwahhab hid approximately twa dozen Jews frae the Nazi occupiers durin Warld War II.
- Mahdia shipwreck
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