EGYPT. 



385 



Daher. 





History, and Shechem, or Naplus. They even reached Jerusa- 

 ".'"*' lem, and having arrived at St John d'Acre, they formed 

 a junction with the troops of the celebrated Sheik Da- 

 her. The forces of Ali entered Damascus. But after 

 tarrying a few days, his general Mahommed hastened 

 to Grand Cairo, and compelled his master Ali Bey to 

 take refuge in Palestine, where hi- amis were attended 

 with success, being supported by the Sheik Daher. 



Osman had been constituted Pasha of Damascus, and 

 invested with extraordinary powers by the divan of 

 Constantinople, that he might oppose and subdue the 

 Sheik of Acre. Ali Bey and the Sheik Daher being 

 equally hostile to the Ottoman power, entered into a 

 treaty to support each other in their views and pursuits. 

 The Egyptian Bey had attempted to secure the assist- 

 ance of Russia, by negociating with Count Alexis Or- 

 low, the commander in chief of the Russian forces in 

 the Archipelago ; but the negociations had been attend- 

 ed with little success, until a Russian transport, under 

 British colours, commanded by Captain Brown, appear- 

 ed off Jaffa, and assisted the forces of D;iher and Ali 

 Bey to get possession of that town and fort. By these 

 and other means, Daher obtained considerable power. 



But though the Sheik Daher anil Ali Bey had been 

 so far cordial in their co-operations, yet their interests 

 might soon interfere, and their friendship be dissolved. 

 This might be a sufficient reason of itself for Ali Bey 

 to go in quest of jwssessions which were likely to be 

 more permanent ; and both his interest and inclination 

 led him towards Egypt, where he had once been in 

 power. But his former general, ami now competitor, 

 Mahommed Bey, was still in great power, and met him 

 with a numerous army, in the desert which lies between 

 Gaza and Egypt. The armies engaged, and Ali Bey, 

 being wounded, was taken prisoner. His rival Ma- 

 hornmed seemed to receive him with great respect. For 

 at the first interview, even in his fallen state, his former 

 authority might have some remaining impressions, even 

 upon the mind of the revolted general ; but upon the third 

 day the unfortunate Ali died, and not without suspicions 

 that his death was occasioned by undue means. 



By the death of this powerful chief, Mahommed Bey 

 left without a rival in the kingdom of Egvpt; but 

 in the fluctuating state of public affairs, he was aware 

 that competitors might soon arise, and he was well assu- 

 red that the divan of Constantinople would endeavour 

 to recover their power in Egypt, as soon as they could 

 .withdraw their forces from the wars in which they were 

 engaged with the Kmprr-- of Knssia. For some time 

 IKI Pallia h:id been admitted in Egypt from the 

 court of Constantinople, nor any tribute remitted to the 

 ('.rand Signior. But Mahommed Bey, though hostile 

 to the power oi 'Constantinople, made extraordinary pro- 

 >:n of friendship, and transmitted to the Grand 

 Signior a large .sum of money. Botii parties dissembled; 

 the reigning Bey of J'.g\ pt intended to manifest his in- 

 dependence as soon as circumstances would allow, and 

 the court of (Jon>tantinople were determined to take 

 the first opportunity of reducing Egypt to obedience; 

 but in the mean time, they made a show of attachment 

 to Mahommed, and raised him from the office of Sheik 

 Albelled to that of Pasha, or viceroy of the Sublime 

 Porte. 



. To ingratiate himself still more at the court of Con- 

 stantinople, he marched an army into the East, under 

 the pretext of subduing the Sheik Daher, who was ini- 

 mical to the Ottoman authority, but in reality to obtain 

 ,-iich conquests in the East, as would render him fonni- 



VOl. VIII. P4RT II. 



Mhommcd 

 Bey. 



dable to the power of the Grand Signior. Having gone History. 

 in person to Syria, his army was attended with success ; ^'Y""*' 

 but he was seized with a fever, and died on the second 

 day of the disease. 



When Mohammed's death was announced in Egypt. A. D. 1T76. 

 the country was in commotion, but the principal com- 

 petitors for power were the beys Ibrahim and Murad. 

 After various attempts to obtain the ascendancy, it was 

 at length agreed that the powers of the state should be 

 held in common by the two contending chiefs. Ibra- 

 him was to continue in the office of Sheik Albelled, and 

 Murad was raised to the situation of Defterdar, or ac- 

 countant-general. About this time, peace was conclu- 

 ded between the courts of St Petersburgh and Constan- 

 tinople, and, as might have been expected, the Grand 

 Signior was determined to restore his power in the pro- 

 vince of Egypt. 



By the active and prudent services of Prince Potem- p t eln iu,,. 

 kin, the Empress of Russia had obtained from the Grand 

 Signior a vast extent of territory, which included the 

 Crimea, together with the provinces of Circassia, Geor- 

 gia, and other districts. The fleets of St Petersburg 

 were permitted by treaty to traverse the Black Sea ; 

 and as all these circumstances weakened the Ottoman 

 government, it was the more necessary to recover Egypt, 

 with its resources and tribute. 



A fleet belonging to the Grand Signior arrived at A. D. 178t>'. 

 Alexandria in the month of May, and landed an army 

 of 25,000 men. The forces of Ibrahim and Murad 

 Bey were drawn out to oppose their progress, and the 

 armies met between Rosetta and Grand Cairo. The 

 dexterity of the Mamelukes, who always fi^ht on horse- 

 back, threw the Ottoman army frequently into confu- 

 sion ; but the skill and perseverance of Hassan Pasha, 

 finally triumphed over the irregular though intrepid 

 warfare of the Mamelukes. Ibrahim and Murad Bey 

 withdrew bv treaty into Upper Egypt. Hassan return- 

 ed to Constantinople, and Beker was sent into Egypt 

 with the honourable distinction of a pasha of threp 

 tails. Notwithstanding his power, he was but ill re- 

 ceived, and found it impossible to collect the tribute, 

 or preserve the country in order. But these irregula- 

 rities soon gave place to designs and achievements of 

 greater moment. The French directed an expedition 

 against the province of Egypt, which was followed by 

 warlike exertions, both of Great Britain and Constan- 

 tinople. See Cant. Migii. Revolt of Ali Bey, BrovDit, 

 Vulnci/, and Life of Potewkin. 



After the republican armies of France had vanquish- Carapo For . 

 ed Holland, shaken the power of Austria, overthrown mjo. 

 the states of Venice, and trampled upon the indepen- 

 dence of Italy, many inferior states sued for protec- 

 tion ; and at Cainpo Fonnio, upon the 17th of Octo- 

 ber 1797, a treaty was entered into between the Em- 

 peror of Germany, and the Republic of France. By 

 this convention, the Austrian Netherlands, as well as 

 the Venetian islands in the Levant, together with se- 

 veral districts of Italy, were all ceded to the French 

 nation ; and although Venice, with several territories 

 of importance, were granted to the Emperor of Ger- 

 many, yet they did not restore him to his proper rank 

 in the scale of Europe. Elated with these conquests, 

 France had been threatening the independence of Great 

 Britain, and attempted to wound her on the part of 

 Ireland, where many discontents were already brood- 

 ing. 



After the peace of Campo Fonnio, the public wero 

 more than ever amused with the designs of Francr 

 3c 



