Dey
Dey ( Arabic داي 'Uncle on the mother's side', from the Turkish Dayı ) has been a ruler in Algeria and Tunisia since the 16th century .
The title Dey was originally a name for a commander of the Ottoman Janissaries . It was also used in the barbaric states of Algeria and Tunisia since the 16th century, when these countries were under Ottoman suzerainty. Originally, the Sultan in Istanbul installed the governors / pashas in Algeria and Tunisia. But the Janissaries and Corsairs soon installed the Deys as heads of government, which the Ottomans only formally confirmed.
The Deys were chosen for life. However, they were given advice from the officers of the Janissaries.
Many Deys were violently overthrown as a result of power struggles. Half of the Deys in Algeria between 1671 and 1830 were forcibly killed. In Tunis , the Dey were already in 1640 by the Muradiden - Bey replaced (see: Tunisia ).