The process of Muhammad Ali's seizure of power in Egypt was a long three way civil war between the Ottoman Turks, Egyptian Mamluks who had ruled Egypt for centuries, and Albanian mercenaries in the service of the Ottomans. It ended in victory for the Albanians led by Muhammad Ali of Egypt (1769–1849).
The three-way struggle followed the French invasion of Egypt by Napoleon. After the French defeat by the British a power vacuum was created in Egypt. The Mamelukes had governed Egypt before the French invasion and still retained much power. Egypt was officially a part of the Ottoman Empire and Egypt still had many Ottoman Turkish troops who had been sent to evict the French. Many of the best Ottoman troops were from Albania, then a province of the Ottoman Empire.
Read more about Muhammad Ali's Seizure Of Power: Albanians Under Thir Rise and Seize Cairo From Husrev Pasha, Muhammad Ali Assumes Control and Captures Ahmed Pasha, Capture of Husrev & Damietta, Ali Pasha Jazirli Attempts To Regain Control, Return & Flight of Al-Alfi, Al-Bardisi and The Albanians Fall Out, Muhammad Ali Ousts Khorshid, Defeat of The Mamelukes, Final Skirmishes
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“That was always the difference between Muhammad Ali and the rest of us. He came, he saw, and if he didn’t entirely conquer—he came as close as anybody we are likely to see in the lifetime of this doomed generation.”
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“Shut not so soon; the dull-eyed night
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