[3] It was governed by a tetrarchy composed of Sulayman al-Baruni, Ramadan Asswehly, Abdul Nabi Belkheir and Ahmad Almarid although they acted autonomously from one other, as they had significant ideological differences.

[4] It was the first formally declared republican form of government in Libya and the whole Arab world but gained little support from the international powers.

The division among the insurgents was increasing, and, after the death of al-Suwaylih in August 1920 by political opponents, the rebels started to fracture, and the Republic, still fighting the Italians, fell into civil war.

Idris's acceptance, as the nationalists understood, would draw a sharp Italian disapproval and be the signal for the resumption of open warfare.

For whatever reason, perhaps to further the cause of total independence or perhaps out of a sense of religious obligation to resist the infidel, Idris accepted the emirate of all of Libya in November and then, to avoid capture by the Italians, fled to Egypt, where he continued to guide the Sanusi Order.

[8] By 1923, Italian control was effective in the territories of the Republic, which gad ceased to exist, but still was confined to the Tripolitanian and outer Cyrenaican areas.

The short-lived republic established only two government organs: the Supreme Council, whose members formed the "governing tetrarchy" (Sulayman al-Baruni, Ramadan Asswehly, Abdul Nabi Belkheir and Ahmad Almarid), and the Consultative Council, consisting of 24 other chiefs representing various parts of Tripolitania.