Urban Planning And New Towns In Medieval Sardinia 527
Ibn-Abd-el-Kerim, his enemy, who took office in Mehdia, and not to send mer-
chants there. In the same letter the Almohad prince mentions two Sardinian
judges: the one from Torres is referred to as an unjust judge, as he traded with
and supported the prince’s enemies in Mehdia; on the other hand, William,
marquis of Massa and judge of Cagliari and Santa Igia, is praised as an example
of fairness, because “[...] he uses every honor and respect with Muslims; and with
this letter we will honor anyone who will be on his side, or come here to his country.” 58
The Sardinian judges are referred to as sufficiently distinct from the Pisans
to suggests the hypothesis of a completely autonomous trading relationship.
The nature of this text shows a customary acceptance and protection of the
merchants, between Tunis and Santa Igia (Cagliari). Because Sardinian ships
and merchants (under the giudicati) travelled to Tunis, and assuming reciproc-
ity in accordance with commercial customs of the time, we can suggest that
Tunisian ships were also travelling to Santa Igia in 1202. We can further assume
the existence of a foundouk (home or warehouse) of merchants of Santa Igia
or the judgeship of Cagliari in Tunis, and conversely a Tunisian foundouk in
Santa Igia.59 While it is not possible to establish earlier dating, the language
of the document suggests that the two institutions (Sardinian and Tunisian)
may have sustained this type of relationship. This interaction, as we know,
may be part of a delicate convenient trading outfit, exposed to the risks of po-
litical tension or interruptions by one of the two parties. We can assume that
there were commercial agreements between Tunis and the ports of northern
58 Michele Amari, I Diplomi Arabi del R. Archivio Fiorentino (Firenze, 1863) doc. XXI,
pp. 65–68. Comments by Amari on p. XLII. The original is now in the Pisan State Archive,
Diplomatico Atti Pubblici (cartaceo) 1202 March 23; I would like to thank the director,
Dr. Daniela Staccioli for allowing the department of Dicaar of the University of Cagliari
to re-publish the original text. For Gherardo Visconti, when he was the Potestà of Pisa,
see Mauro Ronzani 2015. “I Visconti e la loro politica fra la Tuscia e la Sardegna”, 1215–
- Ottocento anni dalla fondazione del Castello di Castro di Cagliari, Corrado Zedda
ed., Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, RiMe Rivista dell’Istituto di Storia dell’Europa
Mediterranea, n. 15/2. December 2015: 313–325, who analyses the Tunisian document a
p. 322.
59 Michele Amari, I Diplomi Arabi del R. Archivio Fiorentino, p. 20, doc. V. Here the exchanges
are better dated; in 1157 a hospitality is mentioned similar to those given to the foundouk:
merchants and their families “[...] would live inside the city walls or the fence (of their
homes), and must be fairly treated, with attention and good care [...], ivi, doc. I, p. 4.
The same treatment was given to Pisan merchants in a treaty of 1186 with Tunis, where
they seem welcomed and protected, though only in Ceuta, Bugia, Orano and Tunis.
Together with the Pisans other groups are mentioned (therefore the merchants) of the
other islands “[...] of Sardinia, Corisca, Pianosa, Elba, Capraia, Cristo, Giglio and Gorgona”
(ivi, doc. V, pp. 17–22 and p. LXXXI).