Mehmed Ali operated as a feudal lord toward both Sultan and fellahin

Evidence

In short, Mehmed Ali’s position vis-à-vis the Ottoman Sultan, on the one hand, and the fellah subjects, on the other, is very similar to that of a feudal lord. Above him loomed the authority of the Sultan, an authority that resembled that of a feudal overlord above that of his vassals and an authority that Mehmed Ali could, and did, challenge. Similarly, the Pasha viewed Egypt as his own personal fief. — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 1537

Categorization

• DEFINE: Characterizes the structural position of an Ottoman provincial governor as feudal vassal.
• XREF: Connects to the reader’s goal of understanding the Egyptian army’s origins within an Ottoman imperial framework.