Empire Rising: Spain

Numerous officials looked at Muhammad III al-Sadiq and were speechless. With Tunis City fallen, where could they possibly escape to now?

Packing up their belongings to flee would simply make them the prime target for the French, so it was better to stay with Muhammad III al-Sadiq. Perhaps the French, in order to appease the Tunisians, might even consider keeping the Tunisian Government intact.

”Bey, we also want to stay and live and die with Tunisia!”

”Yes, live and die with Tunisia!”

Seeing the ministers agreeing one after another, Muhammad III al-Sadiq nodded with satisfaction, then waved his hand and gave his order: ”Open the palace gates, I will negotiate with the French in the Royal Palace.”

In truth, given the current situation, there was no need for Muhammad III al-Sadiq to issue an order. When the French stormed into Tunis City, their eyes quickly locked onto the magnificent Tunis Palace.

Although Muhammad III al-Sadiq did not extort exorbitant taxes during his tenure as Tunisian Bey and even reduced taxes for Tunisians through some reforms,

the Tunisian Beylik had been established nearly 200 years ago. During this period, the wealth accumulated by each Tunisian Bey was enough to build this splendid palace, full of treasures and jewelry inside.

Before the French could explore this magnificent building, the gates had already opened, and the representative of the Tunisian Bey emerged, timidly holding a temporary flag made of white canvas high in both hands.

At that time, there was no formal regulation that raising a white flag symbolized surrender, but the practice of surrendering with a white flag during wars did exist among European countries.

The official recognition of the white flag as a symbol of surrender would come in nearly 20 years, at the Hague Peace Conference towards the end of the 19th century.

Right next to Tunisia was French-occupied Algeria, so finding an official in Tunisia who could speak a bit of French wasn’t difficult.

Holding the white flag high, the Tunisian Bey’s representative shouted in French: ”I am the representative of the Tunisian Bey, and we are willing to surrender and negotiate peace with your army.” He cautiously observed the attitude of the French Army.

The good news was that the French were indeed eager to reach a peace agreement with the Tunisian Government as soon as possible.

Thus, when they heard the Tunisians demanding peace negotiations in French, the French Army courteously halted their attack, with soldiers curiously eyeing the Tunisian with the white flag, waiting for the next command from their officer.

Upon seeing a person who looked like a senior French officer emerge from the army, the Tunisian Bey’s representative quickly shouted: ”Honorable General, I represent the Bey in surrendering to your army, please command your troops to stop attacking and spare the Tunisian civilians.”

The French officer stepped forward slowly, first scrutinizing the Tunisian representative, then nodded and replied in French: ”Before the negotiations conclude, I will order my troops to cease their attack.

But I hope you demonstrate sincerity in the peace talks as well. If you don’t intend to negotiate or have something else in mind, I won’t be able to control my army to stop.”

”Naturally, of course.” The Tunisian representative quickly nodded, not daring to refute the French officer’s words.

Afterwards, the French officer said something to his subordinates, and the French Army officially stopped their assault, resulting in a standoff between the two sides.

The Tunisian representative then invited the French officer to enter the Royal Palace for peace negotiations, but the French officer firmly refused.

Though the Tunisians were defeated and scattered, no one could guarantee there wasn’t a contingent of soldiers hidden in the palace by the Tunisian Bey.

If indeed a small group of army soldiers were concealed in the Tunis Palace, entering the palace would be akin to walking into a trap.

The French commander declared that negotiations could either take place in the French Camp outside the city or on a prepared open ground within the city.

Furthermore, the French side only gave Tunisia two hours to prepare. If no negotiation site is chosen within two hours, it would indicate Tunisia’s lack of sincerity in negotiating peace.

Upon hearing the French officer’s demands, the Tunisian representative quickly nodded, then relayed the French demands to Muhammad III al-Sadiq.

Though acceding to the French demands was humiliating, for Muhammad III al-Sadiq at that moment, he had no other choice.

Ultimately, Muhammad III al-Sadiq and the French officer agreed to conduct peace talks on an open space inside Tunis City, with both armies maintaining peace during the negotiations.

Although it was said ”both armies,” it was only necessary for the French Army to maintain peace.

Because by the time Tunis City fell, the majority of the Tunisian army had long scattered and fled, leaving mostly the wounded soldiers who could not move.

These men were in no condition to resist, and whether they could even stay conscious was questionable, making it impossible for them to pose a threat to the French Army.

The French Government’s plan was to pressure the Tunisian Government into signing an agreement as soon as possible, so the French Government had already prepared the terms of the agreement; all the Tunisian side needed to do was sign their name.