Brief Summary
This video tells the story of Muhammad Ali Pasha, the founder of the Alawite dynasty, and how he rose to power in Egypt. It covers his early life, his military service, his political maneuvering, and his eventual appointment as governor of Egypt.
- Muhammad Ali was born in Macedonia and had a knack for trickery and cunning.
- He joined the Ottoman army and fought against the French in Egypt.
- He exploited the power struggles between the Ottomans, Mamluks, and British to his advantage.
- He gained the support of the Egyptian people by siding with them against oppressive rulers.
- Through a series of strategic alliances and betrayals, he became the undisputed ruler of Egypt.
مقدمه
The video starts by setting the scene in Rashid, Egypt, where two soldiers are complaining about their delayed salaries and the harsh conditions. One of them, Muhammad Ali Pasha, expresses his intention to stay in Egypt and make a life for himself there. The video then introduces Muhammad Ali Pasha as the founder of the Alawite dynasty, which ruled Egypt for 150 years. The video then poses the question of how he started his journey and what he liked about Egypt that made him stay there.
من بلاد "قوله" البعيدة
Muhammad Ali was born in 1769 in the city of Kavala in Macedonia, Greece, to a poor Turkish Muslim family. His father, Ibrahim Agha, was the head of the protectorate responsible for guarding the roads. Muhammad Ali was known for his commitment, obedience, trickery, and cunning. An example of his cunning was when he was sent to collect taxes from a rebellious village, he and his men entered the village mosque, prayed with reverence, and then tricked the town's notables into meeting with him, only to tie them up and use them as leverage to collect the taxes. This act impressed the governor and earned Muhammad Ali a promotion. He also married a divorced woman older than him, who had some wealth, and he convinced her to invest in her business.
"القَوَللي" محمد علي في مصر
At the age of twenty, Muhammad Ali married a divorced woman older than him and invested her money in business. He gained experience as a merchant and developed a keen intuition for people. In 1799, he volunteered to join an army to fight the French in Egypt, forming a battalion of 300 men. They joined the army of Hussein Qabdan Pasha, along with Albanian and Iqrad soldiers. Muhammad Ali and his division confronted a French military battalion in Rahmania, but the French withdrew. Muhammad Ali was promoted and remained in Rahmania until the treaty for the evacuation of the French forces was signed. He then moved to the Rashid Fort to monitor the situation in Egypt.
مذبحة (غير شهيرة) للمماليك
After the French evacuation, Khosrow Pasha became the Ottoman governor of Egypt and was ordered to eliminate the Mamluks. Hussein Qabdan Pasha invited the Mamluks to a banquet on a command ship in Abu Qir, where they were ambushed and massacred. Muhammad Bey al-Alfi escaped and complained to the British. Khosrow Pasha was forced to apologize and release the arrested Mamluks. The Grand Vizier prepared another ambush for the Mamluks in the Cairo Citadel, but Muhammad Bey al-Alfi incited the English to intervene, and the Mamluks were released. Al-Alfi defeated the Ottoman forces in several battles and expelled them from Upper Egypt. In February 1802, the Grand Vizier left Istanbul, and the British took Muhammad Bey al-Alfi to London to prepare him to rule Egypt.
محمد علي يتودد للمصريين
During these events, Muhammad Ali became closely acquainted with the leaders of the Egyptian people. When soldiers' salaries were delayed, they would ask Muhammad Ali to plunder merchants, but he prevented them and directed their anger towards the citadel. This brought him closer to the people, who felt he was on their side. In May 1803, Muhammad Ali and his battalions went to Khosrow Pasha's house, who fled to Damietta. Muhammad Ali succeeded in removing Khosrow Pasha from power.
مزيد من الأطماع. مزيد من المؤامرات
Ahmed Pasha, the governor of the Hejaz, arrived in Egypt and sought to ally with the Mamluks and win over Muhammad Ali and the Egyptian people. He invited everyone to a banquet, but the sheikhs and notables were wary of his intentions. When Ahmed Pasha turned against Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Ali leaned towards the Mamluk camp in Giza. He met Ibrahim Bey and convinced him that the Mamluks were the most suitable to rule Egypt. Ibrahim Bey, supported by Muhammad Ali, besieged Ahmed Pasha and expelled him from Egypt. However, the Mamluk soldiers plundered the markets, which Muhammad Ali confronted, restoring the stolen goods and declaring safety for the people of Cairo under the joint rule of Ibrahim Bey and Muhammad Ali.
ولاة العثمانيين، واليا يلو الآخر
After dealing with the Ottoman governor, Muhammad Ali turned his attention to Ibrahim Bey and the Mamluks. He convinced Ibrahim Bey to raise an army and seize Egypt from the Ottomans, exploiting the instability caused by the frequent changes in Ottoman governors. Ibrahim Bey declared himself the ruler of Egypt and demanded recognition from Istanbul. However, Muhammad Ali stirred up discontent among the notables, questioning Ibrahim Bey's legitimacy and his soldiers' behavior.
الإيقاع بين أمراء المماليك
In July 1803, Ali Pasha al-Jaza'irili was appointed as the new Ottoman governor of Egypt. Muhammad Ali played a double game, welcoming al-Jaza'irili while simultaneously plotting with the Mamluks to ambush and kill him before he could enter Cairo. By February 1804, Muhammad Bey al-Alfi returned from London with British support, intending to restore Mamluk rule. Muhammad Ali, fearing the loss of his own power, convinced Uthman Bey al-Bardisi that al-Alfi was now an Englishman and must be eliminated. Al-Bardisi attacked al-Alfi, who fled to Upper Egypt. Muhammad Ali then incited al-Bardisi to declare himself ruler of Cairo, only to turn the people against him, leading to al-Bardisi's downfall and the deaths of many of his soldiers.
هيا يا “باشا” الفرصة أمامك!..
Muhammad Ali saw that the time was right for him to take control. The Mamluks were weakened, and the Janissaries were disorganized. He had a strong battalion of Arnaults. In March 1804, Khurshid Pasha was appointed as the new governor of Egypt. Khurshid Pasha, aware of Muhammad Ali's ambitions, sent him to Upper Egypt to fight the Mamluks, hoping to get rid of him. Muhammad Ali accepted the mission but also used it to his advantage, taking a portion of his soldiers' overdue salaries. He knew that Khurshid Pasha was unpopular and that the people would not tolerate him for long.
رسميا.. محمد علي واليا لمصر!
Khurshid Pasha's grievances increased, and the leaders of the people contacted Muhammad Ali in Upper Egypt, asking him to return and save them. Muhammad Ali arrived in Cairo on May 1st, amidst a general strike. The people surrounded Khurshid Pasha in the Citadel. Khurshid Pasha sent a message to Istanbul, blaming Muhammad Ali for the unrest. The Ottoman authorities, realizing that Khurshid Pasha had failed, issued a decree appointing Muhammad Ali as governor of Jeddah in the Hijaz, hoping to remove him from the scene. However, Muhammad Ali refused to accept the decree in person. On May 13, 1805, the leaders of the people, led by Mr. Omar Makram, gathered and deposed Khurshid Pasha, appointing Muhammad Ali as governor of Egypt. They stipulated conditions for his rule, including no new taxes without the people's approval and the military garrison being stationed outside Cairo. Muhammad Ali agreed, and the people rejoiced. The scholars dressed him in the governor's robe, a first in Egyptian history. The Ottoman authorities, realizing they had no choice, issued a decree appointing Muhammad Ali as governor of Egypt with the rank of Pasha, acknowledging the authority of the people. The decree arrived on July 9, 1805, and Muhammad Ali celebrated his governorship in the Citadel of the Mountain, marking the beginning of a new era.
