Ahmed Ibn Abi Dhiaf

Ahmad ibn Abi Diyaf, known colloquially as Bin Diyaf, was the author of a chronicle of Tunisian history. He was also a long-time and trusted official in the Beylical government of Tunisia. His multi-volume history, while it begins with the 7th-century arrival of the Arabs, devotes the most attention to details of the Husainid dynasty (1705–1957), during the 18th and 19th centuries. His writing is informed by his experience as chancellery secretary during the reigns of five Beys in succession. Bin Diyaf himself eventually favored the reform view, which was current then in Tunisian politics. His letter in reply to questions about Tunisian women has also attracted the interest of scholars of history.