Postage stamps of Tripolitania
Encyclopedia
Postal history
Postal history is the study of postal systems and how they operate and, or, the study of postage stamps and covers and associated material illustrating historical episodes of postal systems...
of Tripolitania
Tripolitania
Tripolitania or Tripolitana is a historic region and former province of Libya.Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934...
, now part of Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
.
Tripolitana is a historic region of western Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, centered on the coastal city of Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
. Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, Tripolitania was captured by Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1911 during the Italo-Turkish War
Italo-Turkish War
The Italo-Turkish or Turco-Italian War was fought between the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Italy from September 29, 1911 to October 18, 1912.As a result of this conflict, Italy was awarded the Ottoman provinces of Tripolitania, Fezzan, and...
. Italy officially granted autonomy after the war, but gradually occupied the region. Originally administered as part of a single colony, Tripolitania was a separate colony from 26 June 1927 to 1934, when it was merged into "Libya". During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Libya was occupied by the Allies and until 1947 Tripolitania (and the region of Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
) were administered by Great Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Italy formally renounced its claim upon the territory in the same year.
All stamps of colonial Tripolitania were printed at the Italian Government Printing Works.
Overprints
The first stamps of Tripolitania were Italian "Propagation of the Faith" stamps overprinted TRIPOLITANIA issued on 24 October 1923 at the same time as those for Cyrenaica.Regular issues
The first stamps inscribed for the colony were the semi-postal "Colonial Institute issue" in 1926, followed by several sets of airmailAirmail
Airmail is mail that is transported by aircraft. It typically arrives more quickly than surface mail, and usually costs more to send...
stamps, from 1931 to 1933. October 1934 saw the only regular Tripolitanian stamps issued, a set of six (along with six more airmail) promoting the 2nd Colonial Arts Exhibition. In 1934 Tripolitania, Cyrenaica and Fezzan were united as the Italian colony of Libya
Italian Libya
Italian Libya was a unified colony of Italian North Africa established in 1934 in what represents present-day Libya...
.
Genuinely used stamps of Tripolitania (fake cancels are common) are valued at about twice as much as unused stamps.
British stamps
British stamps overprinted M.E.F. (Middle East Forces) were used from 1943 to 1948 after the area was captured by the British during World War II. From 1 July 1948 stamps overprinted B.M.A. TRIPOLATANIA were used. From 6 February 1950 to December 1951 the stamps were overprinted B.A. TRIPOLITANIA.Kingdom of Libya
On 24 December 1951, Cyrenaica, Tripolitania and Fezzan were unified as the Kingdom of LibyaKingdom of Libya
The Kingdom of Libya, originally called the United Libyan Kingdom came into existence upon independence on 24 December 1951 and lasted until a coup d'état led by Muammar Gaddafi on 1 September 1969 overthrew King Idris of Libya and established the Libyan Arab Republic.- Constitution :Under the...
under Amir Mohammed Idris Al-Senussi
Idris I of Libya
Idris, GBE , , was the first and only king of Libya, reigning from 1951 to 1969, and the Chief of the Senussi Muslim order.- Early life :...
. After unification, stamps of Libya were used.
See also
- Postage stamps and postal history of LibyaPostage stamps and postal history of LibyaThis is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Libya.Libya is a country located in North Africa. Bordering the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Libya lies between Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west.- Italian...
- Postage stamps and postal history of CyrenaicaPostage stamps and postal history of CyrenaicaThis is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Cyrenaica, now part of Libya.- History :Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya and also an ex-province or state of the country in the pre-1963 administrative system...
External links
Further reading
- Tchilinghirian, S.D. & Rag. R. Bernardelli. Stamps of Italy used abroad. London: Harris Publications Ltd., 1963-74.