The Sahara in Transition: Political and Economic Transformations in Ghadames and Fezzan from the 1700s to the 1850s

Abstract This paper endeavors to scrutinize the political and economic transformation within Central Saharan regions, concentrating specifically on Ghadames and Murzuq from the 1700s through the 1850s. Despite being neighboring regions, their respective political and economic systems exhibited stark contrasts, which precipitated divergent responses when broader regional shifts occurred following the 1790s. After the Ottoman Empire’s establishment of direct rule in Tripolitania in 1835, the changes became more pronounced. Consequently, not only did these regions undergo significant internal transformations from the 1700s to the 1850s, but local actors also significantly influenced the Ottoman Empire’s engagement with the Sahara.