Murzuk

Mourzuk (also Mursuk Murzuq, Marzuq; Arab مرزق, Murzuq DMG ) is a city in Libya with 12,746 inhabitants ( calculated for 2010) and the historic center of the Fezzan ( Fezzan ). From the same Munizip Mourzuk is the capital.

• 4.1 Notes and references

Geography

Mourzuk is located 120 kilometers south of Sabha, the political and economic center of the Fezzan and is an important transport hub in the direction Südsahara.

History

Antiquity

It replaced the 12th century Zuwaylah as the center of Fezzan off and until the 20th century the most important place in the Sahara area. This meaning was based on the function as a hub for the Trans -Saharan trade on the " Bornu road " between Lake Chad and Tripoli. So here was a large slave market.

Due to the economic importance Mourzuk was also the seat of the rulers of Fezzan. In the 19th century, but began the decline of the city, when the slave trade was suppressed by the colonial powers in West Africa and became more frequent malaria epidemics because of the salt marshes located on the northern edge of the city.

Modern Times

On October 29, 1798 Friedrich Conrad Hornemann reached on behalf of the African Association Mourzuk and later reported it in his travelogue. As part of the official English "African mission" of the explorer Heinrich Barth came on May 6, 1850 Mourzuk. According to his description, the town was then covered by a clay-like wall, in the three gates to the east ( main gate ), north and west were admitted. On a sketch of his hand can be seen more particularly at the residence of the Turkish governor, the barracks, the mosque, the house of the Sheikh of Bornu and the British Vice- Consulate. As important for the relations Murzuks to the Arab countries and the Sudan Heinrich Barth was the spacious esplanade of the city, much of the city airy, but also more vulnerable to the heat do. The population was 2,800 people at this time. The plantings of the city were widely dispersed in the environment and of strikingly sparse growth.

1869 met the German explorer Gustav Nachtigal and the Dutch researcher Alexandrine Tinne in Africa Mourzuk.

Modern

After the Italians had already in 1914 Mourzuk occupied for the first time, she was finally conquered in 1930. Under the Italian rule Mourzuk lost its leadership role in the Fezzan to Sabha. In 2005 Mourzuk had 44,000 inhabitants.

During the civil war in Libya in 2011, the rebels conquered by its own account Mourzuk on August 17. To him be preceded by an hour-long battle between government forces and members of the Tubu. During the fights were about twelve soldiers were killed and five officers, including a general, been arrested.