Mehmed Ali leveraged military readiness to influence Syrian politics by 1810

Evidence

As early as 1810 Mehmed Ali showed his interest in the neighboring province and his willingness to interfere in its internal affairs, as well as his ability to influence developments there to suit his interests. Capitalizing on the enmity between Süleyman Pasha, the vali of Sidon, and Yusuf Genç Pasha, the vali of Damascus, Mehmed Ali decided to side with the latter and mediated with the Sublime Porte to reinstate him in his pashalɩks. He wrote various letters to the Sublime Porte and to his agent in Istanbul, Najib Efendi, insinuating that he would not dispatch his almost ready campaign to the Hijaz unless Yusuf Genç were reinstated in his post, and adding that he was insisting on this demand “not out of personal reasons but to facilitate the Hijaz affair.” — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 209

Categorization

• QUESTION: Shows early political interference in Syria two decades before the invasion — curious whether the Hijaz campaign actually served as leverage as threatened.