The city became the headquarters of a wide-ranging administration which supervised military recruitment and tax collection, had its own ammunition factory, printed its own currency and operated its own schools and hospitals. However, once Nuri Bey, the Ottoman officer in charge of the Libyan front, was recalled to Istanbul in early 1918, Ottoman influence waned in Misrata. Suwayhli lost his main backer and a huge source of funding as a result.
When the Italians reestablished their control of much of Libya following their victory in World War I, but al-Swehli retained his position as administrator of Misrata. In 1920 he expelled his Italian adviser from Misrata and controlled the town independently with about 10,000 fighters. Al Rakib, a Tripoli-based newspaper, commended the order and security in place at Misrata under al-Swehli as well as the strict application of Islamic law including the suppression of hard liquor. In June, however, al-Swehli attempted to attack the Muntasirs and Warfalla in the area between Misrata and Tripoli, but his forces were defeated and al-Swehli was executed by Abd al-Qadir al-Muntasir's troops. A few weeks after the battle, the new Italian governor attacked Misrata.
During the mid-1920s and 1930s, Misrata became a center of Italian colonization. A new town was laid out on a grid pattern and several public buildings were constructed including a new municipal office, a church (which was later converted to a mosque,) and a large hotel. Giuseppe Volpi was named Conte di Misrata, or the "Count of Misrata." In 1935 the construction of the road connecting Zuwara in the west to Misrata was completed.
Independence
In response to alleged vote rigging during the 1952 parliamentary elections, Misrata witnessed mass riots which contributed to the Libyan monarchy's permanent ban on political parties.
Following Muammar Gaddafi's coup that overthrew the monarchy of King Idris in 1969, Misrata was tremendously
