Albanian tribal troops recognized Mehmed Ali only as first among equals.

Evidence

Although it is argued that by employing these “Cromwellian measures [Mehmed Ali finally managed to become the] undisputed master in the country,” he still had to contend with the unruly Albanian forces. These proved more difficult to deal with than the Mamluks mainly because the Pasha was an Albanian himself and it would not have been that expedient to kill his own soldiers. This was so not because this would have been judged unethical or immoral but because the Albanians continued to be the backbone of his strength for some time. Counting nearly as mercenaries within the larger Ottoman contingent that brought them to Egypt, however, they were not a very orderly body of troops and they often revolted in small uprisings in the streets of Cairo asking for their pay or to be returned home. They also retained their tribal structure and recognized Mehmed Ali only as a “first among equals,” resisting any attempt by him to impose discipline on them. — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 433

Categorization

• XREF: Explains why the backbone of his army resisted discipline — a direct causal factor behind later conscription; feeds the reader’s core question about how the modern army was born.