The Husainid Dynasty is the former ruling dynasty of Tunisia originally of Cretan Turks origin. They came to power under al-Husayn I ibn Ali in 1705 replacing the Muradid Dynasty. His father was a Greek from Crete and his mother was a Tunisian. The Husaynids were called "Greek" by Habib Bourguiba. After taking power the Husainids ruled as Beys, with succession to the throne determined by agnatic seniority with the oldest member of the dynasty becoming Bey. The heir apparent to the Bey held the title Bey al-Mahalla. The Husainids originally ruled under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire. In 1881, Tunisia came under the control of France as a protectorate. Following independence from France on 20 March 1956, the Bey Muhammad VIII al-Amin assumed the title of King and reigned as such until the prime minister Habib Bourguiba deposed the dynasty and declared Tunisia a republic on 25 July 1957.