The Pasha : how Mehemet Ali defied the West, 1839-1841

With striking parallels to recent confrontations in Iraq, this is the story of the first Western international coalition to suppress an aggressive Middle Eastern ruler. The challenger was Mehemet Ali Pasha, called the founder of modern Egypt. Convinced that the Europeans would never be able to unite against him, he sought, with charm, brilliance and bravado, to create a powerful Muslim counterweight to the encroaching West. Drawing on research on three continents, this timely book takes the reader into the heart of a crisis as France, Great Britain, the Ottoman government and the Pasha of Egypt maneuver to defend their interests in the Eastern Mediterranean. Here are the passionate debates among French and British politicians as they struggle to control the Pasha without provoking a European war. Here are the battlefields--from the Euphrates to Beirut--on which Mehemet Ali's modernizing forces created the facts that fed the crisis. Here are the Sultan's ministers at Istanbul, buffeted by the threats of European ambassadors. And here, in confrontation, is the fascinating Mehemet Ali Pasha, in constant conversation with those seeking to deflect him from his dangerous ambition. As France began the fortification of Paris, as Prussia contemplated the French threat of a war on the Rhine and as British warships flooded the Mediterranean, Mehemet Ali sat cross-legged on his sumptuous divan, looking from his palace out over his beautiful fleet at anchor in the bay of Alexandria, and challenged the western world. Table of Contents Preface Chronology List of Notable Persons Introduction 1 The Pasha at Alexandria 2 In the Sultan’s Camp May-June 1839 3 Father and Son Northern Syria, June 1839 4 Near the Euphrates, June 20-24, Í&39 5 France Seeks a Role Spring and Summer 1839 6 The First Debate Paris, July 1-3,1839 7 The Sultan and His Men June-July 1839 8 Joy at Ras at-Tín 9 Diplomacy at Istanbul 10 Lord Palmerston Takes the Reins September-December 1839 11 Guizot and the London Convention February-July 1840 12 Ruling Syria 13 The Revolt in Mount Lebanon June-July 1840 14 Monsieur Thiers’s Game July-October 1840 15 Preparing for War May-September 1840 16 Beirut July-September 1840 17 The Attack on Beirut September 9-11,1840 18 The Camp at Juniyah September-October 1840 19 A Scattered Army 20 Defending Syria June-November 1840 21 The Coalition in Combat October 9-10» 1840 22 Naval Guns and Ancient Fortresses September-November 1840 23 Walewski Returns October 14-November 26,1840 24 The Pasha and the Commodore November 15,1840-February 4', 1841 25 Conflict in the Cabinet July-October 1840 26 Who Will Bear the Blame? Paris, November 25-December 3,1840 27 Retreat from Damascus November 1840-February 1841 28 The End Game February-August 1841 29 Palmerston on the Hustings Tiverton, July 31,1847 30 Epilogue 31 Kaleidoscope Acknowledgments Chapter Notes Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapters Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Bibliography Primary Archival Sources Published Contemporary Accounts Secondary Sources Index Acknowledgments Preface Note on transliteration and glossary List of notable persons Introduction The pasha at Alexandria: June 14-15, 1839 In the Sultan's camp: May-June 1839 Father and son: northern Syria, June 1839 Nizib: near the Euphrates, June 20-24, 1839 France seeks a role: spring and summer, 1839 The first debate: Paris, July 1-3, 1839 The Sultan and his men: June-July 1839 Joy at Ras at-tin: July 4-20, 1839 Diplomacy at Istanbul: July 1839-April 1840 Lord Palmerston takes the reins: September-December 1839 Guizot and the London Convention: February-July 1840 Ruling Syria: 1833-1840 The revolt in Mt. Lebanon: June-July 1840 Monsieur Thiers's game: July-October 1840 Preparing for war: May-September 1840 Beirut: July-September 1840 The attack on Beirut: September 9-11, 1840 The camp at Juniyah: September-October 1940 A scattered army: July 1839-August 1840 Defending Syria: June-November 1840 The coalition in combat: October 9-10, 1840 Naval guns and ancient fortresses: September-November 1840 Walewski returns: October 14-November 26, 1840 The pasha and the commodore: November 15, 1840-February 4, 1841 Conflict in the cabinet: July-October 1840 Who will bear the blame?: Paris, November 25-December 3, 1840 Retreat from Damascus: November 1840-February 1841 The end game: February-August 1841 Palmerston on the hustings: Tiverton, 1846 Epilogue: 1841-1849 Kaleidoscope Chapter notes Bibliography Index. "In 1811, Mehemet Ali Pasha, governor of Egypt, gained control of that country by a massacre of the Mamluks. This book shines a light on the great international crisis of 1839-1841, precipitated by the Pasha when his army threatened to shatter the Ottoman Empire, tempting the European Powers to fight each other over control of the pieces"--Provided by publisher.