Mehmed Ali consciously modeled himself as a second Napoleon

Evidence

Being a military man himself and living on the fringes of this continent, Mehmed Ali must have been curious to know more about these armies that were the talk of the day. Indeed, the Pasha was a great admirer of the Emperor and even during his lifetime his flatterers used to “persuade him that he is a second Napoleon.” Later in his life he ordered a biography of Napoleon to be translated into Turkish and to be printed in the government press at Būlāq. — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 421 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

French historians saw Mehmed Ali as owing a lot of his greatness to his resemblance to Napoleon. Both men, it is argued, had a dream they wanted to fulfill and both had their dreams frustrated by the British. In his Mohamed Aly et Napoléon Driault, in typical romantic manner, accepted both men’s self-characterizations: while the great French Emperor saw himself as a descendant of the Caesars, Mehmed Ali was more like a Pharaoh. Both, Driault believed, shared a deep-seated desire to revive a great power and to found an enlightened regime. Driault takes the existence of the French or Egyptian nation as given, nations whose ancient glories were waiting to be rekindled and awakened. — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 1672 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Mehmed Ali modeled himself on Napoleon and studied his military methods — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 421; Mehmed Ali admired Napoleon and ordered his biography translated into Turkish; Egyptian Mehmed Ali mythology parallels French belief in Napoleon’s savior role — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 86 (+7 more)

Broader Connections

• Mehmed Ali modeled himself on Napoleon and studied his military methods #corroborates (0.95) — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 421
• French historians framed Mehmed Ali as a Napoleon for Egypt #complicates (0.75) — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 1672