Mustapha Khaznadar

Mustapha Khaznadar (; 1817–1878), born as Georgios Halkias Stravelakis was a Tunisian politician who served as Prime Minister of the Beylik of Tunis from 1855 to 1873. He was one of the most influential people in modern Tunisian history.

Biography

Early life Mustapha Khaznadar was born in the village of Kardamyla on the Greek island of Chios as Georgios Halkias Stravelakis in 1817. In January 1822, rebels from the neighboring islands of Samos arrived on Chios and declared their independence from the Ottoman Empire, the Ottoman sultan soon sent an army of about 40,000 to the island of Chios, where roughly 52,000 Greek inhabitants were massacred and tens of thousands of women and children were taken into slavery. During the Chios massacre, Georgios's father, the sailor Stephanis Halkias Stravelakis, was killed, while Georgios along with his brother Yannis were captured and sold into slavery by the Ottomans.

Mustafa Khaznadar retained memories of his Greek origin and when he finally managed, he made contact with his remaining family and helped to pay for the education of his two (Greek) nephews. Khaznadar died in 1878 and is buried in the mausoleum of Tourbet el Bey, in the heart of the Medina of Tunis.

Gallery

In Culture 2018: Tej El Hadhra, a television series by Sami Fehri: Ahmed Landolsi.

Honours