The political struggle after the French left (1801–1805)

01The political struggle after the French left (1801–1805)

The three contending forces

• After the French withdrawal, three forces struggled for power: the Ottomans, the English and the Mamluks.

The Ottomans (the Turks)

• The sultan looked to restoring his rule and influence over Egypt.
• He was determined to fight and eliminate the Mamluks.
• He began the recovery of control by appointing Khosrow Pasha as wali of Egypt.

The English

• England coveted extending its influence over the Nile valley and occupying key positions on the Mediterranean and Red Seas to secure its line of communications to India.
• So it never thought of withdrawing its forces after helping to evacuate the French.
• It drew close to the Mamluks because it had intervened with the sultan to prevent the execution of their leaders.
• It abandoned them once France restored its relations with the Ottoman State, and told them to submit to Ottoman rule.

The Mamluks

• They hoped to regain the rule of the country and thought of using the English against the Turks.
• The English did not object; they let them live in the illusion of returning to power and planned to use them for their own ends.
• The conflict between Mamluks and Ottomans renewed after England left Egypt (March 1803), in line with the Treaty of Amiens (March 1802).
• The Mamluks occupied El-Minya and put navigation on the Nile under their control.

Chaos

• The country fell into chaos and fighting between warring factions, with many walis in a short period.
• Conditions worsened economically, and the walis could not pay the soldiers, who revolted against them.
• Walis were imprisoned and arrested; some were killed or fled.
• The Mamluks succeeded in expelling the Ottoman troops from Cairo and took over the rule.