Egypt Province, Ottoman Empire

Although Egypt was an Ottoman province from the time of the Mamaluke wars, in its later years the Albanian born Muhammad Ali (Mehmet in Turkish) became king, fighting a war with the Ottomans over his desire for hereditary rule to be established there. During which he conquered Syria and Palestine until he was subdued by the Europeans and forced back to Egypt.

At this point, although still nominally an Ottoman province, Egypt was run almost autonomously until Khedive Tawfiq capitulated giving expanded power to British and French bankers and investors until interest in the area became so great that Britain was forced to intervene when a rebel army sprang up opposing the Europeans. In 1882 Britain invaded with 20,000 troops from the UK and 7,000 from India, swiftly defeating the Egyptian forces and bringing the country under almost total British control until. However it was still an Ottoman province until a protectorate was declared during World War I.

See also

• History of Ottoman Egypt