Muhammad Ali al-’Alawi

Born in Albania in a small village, Muhammad Ali eventually rose to become a tax collector. Due to his success, he would be appointed as commander of the Kavala Volunteer Contingent sent to Egypt to re-occupy it in the aftermath of Napoleon Bonaparte's failed invasion.

Facing a power struggle between the Ottomans, and the traditional military caste of Egypt the Mamluks, Muhammad Ali would endear himself to both sides, as he himself would ingratiate himself to locals wary of the power struggle. He would take his chance to sieze power when the Ottomans backed down after locals demanded the replacement of the Ottoman-appointed Wāli Hurshid Pasha, with himself.

Crushing Mamluk rebellions, he would look for ways to consolidate his power not as a vassal of the Ottomans, but as an independent power. As the traditional military chiefs were crushed and deposed, unlike the Ottomans he was successful in the Europeanization of the military, introducing modern drill and conscription. He would use this military to support the Sultan, further consolidating his power and influence.

Promised Greek lands in exchange for his support by the Sultan, he would send his military to crush the Greek Rebellions in 1821. While successful in this push, an intervention by the Great Powers would render this a failed effort, with most of the Egyptian Navy destroyed as a result, and with nothing tangible gained from his efforts. Seizing his chance, he would instead claim Syria after a war with the Sublime Porte that ended with the intervention of the Great Powers.