Tunisia Affair (Age of Kings)

The Tunisia Affair refers to a week-long standoff between French and Italian forces within the city of Tunis over which state had primary colonization rights to Tunisia. In addition, Italy had interest in compensation for the tribal attacks that not too earlier had killed Italian citizens and damaged the Italian-owned Tunis-Goletta-Marsa rail line. After tense negotiations and a French ultimatum, Italian forces pulled out of Tunis, leaving Tunisia to become a French protectorate.

During the Congress of Berlin, both France and Italy expressed an interest in colonizing Tunisia. Britain, as the owner of the neighboring island of Malta, also desired influence in Tunisia, although British policy was more to prevent Italy from controlling Tunis and thus both sides of the straight. In addition, Germany viewed the tension over Tunisia as an appropriate measure to distract Britain and France.

Italy hoped that its economic investments in Tunisia, along with a sizable Italian population present, would sway international opinion in its favor. However, France was determined not to let Italy take Tunisia, and waited for an excuse to launch an expedition to forcibly seize the country. In early 1881, the Khroumir tribe committed two attacks, one against the Italian-owned rail line and across the border into French Algeria. Because of this, both nations sent forces to take control of Tunisia. Italian troops were landed by ship and a French expeditionary force invaded across the Algerian border.

With both Italy and France in control of the capital, international diplomacy tried to resolve the growing crisis. Italy hoped to gain even more favor by pointing out that Italian citizens were killed and property damaged by Tunisian tribesmen, but this rang hollow when the French pointed out the same likely happened following the raid into Algeria. Faced with a French ultimatum, Italian forces were ultimately forced to pull out with an unsatisfactory promise of reparations for the deaths and damages. The tension of the Tunisia Affair is one reason why Italy decided to join Germany and Austria-Hungary in forming the Triple Alliance.