MILITARY EXPEDITION THAT MADE THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE PERPETUAL IN NORTH AFRICA: BATTLE OF TUNIS (1574)

Ottoman Empire started a great struggle in Mediterranean against the hostility to Islam which was conducted by King of Spain Charles V and his son Philip II on behalf of Christianity in Africa. From the Sultans of Ottoman Empire; Selim I, Suleiman the Magnificent and Selim II strived in order to put an end to the Spanish supremacy via lots of non-stop maritime warfare during 58 year, from 1516 to 1574 with assistances of local Muslim people. They not only saved Andalusian Muslims, who were surviving under the circumstances worse than slavery in their country, from extinction and settled them in Maghreb cities, but also prevented the region against invasion. Battle of Tunis (1574), which confronted the Ottomans and Europeans leaded by Spain, put an end to the ongoing great struggle. Thanks to the construction of three provinces as Algeria, Tripolitania and Tunis on the purpose of assuring continuous protection; the region survived in peace till the middle of 19th century. Researches in different fields are needed so as to clarify the most important details of this military expedition which is ignored as there are no lots of research in all the wars of Ottoman Empire.