Egyptian historians narrate Mehmed Ali’s career as a teleological quest for independence

Evidence

The question of whether the wars that the governor of Egypt waged during the first third of the nineteenth century were dynastic wars of imperialistic expansion or national wars of independence is central to understanding the whole of Mehmed Ali’s career and, indeed, of the history of Egypt during his reign. If, as Toledano argues, Egypt was very much an Ottoman province, ruled by an Ottoman–Egyptian elite, then Marsot’s claim that, unlike contemporary Ottoman notables “who had merely sought quasi-independence for their provinces but were content to remain within the empire, Muhammad Ali sought independence,” has to be qualified. For even if it is granted that Mehmed Ali was seeking to get rid of the “Ottoman yoke” right from the beginning of his career, the question remains as to the nature of this independence. Could it be viewed as similar to the independence sought by the Greeks during their War of Independence when large sections of the population rose against their Ottoman rulers? Or is it more plausible to link Mehmed Ali’s wars, as Shaw does, with a series of internal wars within the Ottoman Empire that were waged by local governors against central government control? If so, Mehmed Ali would appear, like Ali Pasha of Janina, Davud Pasha of Baghdad, or Amir Bashir of Lebanon as a local governor of an Ottoman province who seized the opportunity of the difficulties that the Ottoman Sultan was facing both internally and externally to try and expand his own local dominions. — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 199 (#contradicts, via linked claim)

Be that as it may, what is important to note is that independence was not one of the conditions set forth by Mehmed Ali when he met Halil Pasha in Alexandria; this demand was persistently demanded by Ibrahim Pasha in letters sent to his father from his camp near Konia, but was not voiced by Mehmed Ali himself until much later. When Halil Pasha arrived with an offer of peace in Alexandria on 21 January 1833, Mehmed did not intend to raise the issue of independence with him, not only because he was wondering about European reactions to this bold move, but more probably because he could not contemplate it himself. … These are not the actions of someone who intends to pass on to his negotiating partner that his are going to be difficult terms to meet. Having won a decisive military victory this would have been the time to press with his demands for independence assuming that this was his desire and that he had been contemplating secession right from the start. However, in his negotiations with Halil Pasha, Mehmed Ali did not raise the issue of independence; again it was Ibrahim who was urging his father to do so. Mehmed Ali started asking for independence only in 1838; back in 1833 he could still not think of himself as being outside of Ottoman authority altogether. The inconclusive nature of the peace of Kütahia, therefore, was representative of the Pasha’s own ambivalent feelings towards the Ottoman Sultan and towards his own military activities against him. — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 257 (#qualifies, via linked claim)

It would be erroneous therefore to argue that when the Pasha decided to officially ask for independence from the Ottoman Empire in May 1838 he was acting on behalf of the Egyptian population and expressing their sentiments, sentiments that made them see themselves as different and distinct from other subjects of the Ottoman Sultan. What prompted the Pasha to make this bold move, rather, was his desire to secure his efforts in Egypt to his family and his sons after him. As John Campbell, the British Consul-General in 1838, said “he cannot… ever permit all [the] establishments [that he founded in Egypt over thirty years] to revert to the Porte and be lost at his death, and that he should have the pang of feeling that all his labours should merely have been for the Porte which would allow them to go to ruin, whilst his own family and children would be exposed to want and perhaps even to be put to death.” These were the reasons he put to the British government for his asking for independence from the Ottoman Empire. There is nothing here or elsewhere in the contemporary documents to show that he had any illusions about the nature of his struggle with the Sultan. That struggle was a dynastic one and it was conceived of as such by him and his contemporaries. — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 1551 (#contradicts, via linked claim)

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim
• XREF: connects to: Muhammad Ali sought Egyptian independence from the Ottomans rather than mere provincial expansion; Mehmed Ali’s ambitious programs routinely foundered at implementation; Mehmed Ali governed Egypt as a personal fief under a feudal overlord relationship — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 1550 (+6 more)

Broader Connections

• Mehmed Ali’s wars may be internal Ottoman power struggles rather than nationalist bids #contradicts (0.70) — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 199
• Mehmed Ali did not seek independence from the Ottomans until 1838 #qualifies (0.60) — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 257
• Mehmed Ali sought a personal empire, not Egyptian independence. #contradicts (0.60) — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 1551