Mehmed Ali signaled equal disregard for British and Ottoman sovereign power

Evidence

This was a strange introduction indeed: having received the. Ottoman Sultan’s approval to represent British interests in Alexandria, and going to present himself with the Sultan’s firman in hand, the British Consul was surprised to be received by a story of Mehmed Ali’s childhood in Albania. As strange as this reception might have appeared to the British Consul, this first encounter with the Pasha was full of political intent which was too obvious for the Consul not to notice. Besides referring to Barker’s predecessor as having the wisdom not to contradict the Pasha in any of his opinions “which, he observed, was very easily done, because they were always founded on reason and justice,” and thus insinuating that he expected the same from him, it was clear to Barker that the Pasha had also intended to pass on to him the message that “he was as little awed by the power of the Sovereign of Great Britain as that of the Sultan.” — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 44

Categorization

Category: Factual Claims

• XREF: Core to reader’s question on how the Pasha positioned himself between Ottoman and British power.

Related

• Mehmed Ali signaled defiant independence from both Ottoman and British power at first meeting (similarity 0.86)
• Mehmed Ali used a personal autobiography to convey diplomatic intimidation toward Britain (similarity 0.84)
• Mehmed Ali openly disparaged the Ottoman viziers and Sultan to the British consul (similarity 0.83)
• Mehmed Ali took his legal role as Ottoman vali seriously (similarity 0.83)
• Mehmed Ali saw himself as an Ottoman vali, not an independent ruler (similarity 0.83)
• Mehmed Ali staged a theatrical reception to humble the British consul (similarity 0.82)
• Mehmed Ali greeted crowds personally, unlike prior pashas (similarity 0.81)
• Mehmed Ali legally held only governorship clout within the Ottoman hierarchy (similarity 0.80)
• Britain opposed Mehmed Ali because his expansion threatened British India and Istanbul influence (similarity 0.80)
• Husrev Pasha, not the Sultan or Britain, was Mehmed Ali’s chief adversary (similarity 0.80)
• Mehmed Ali mistakenly believed his expansion could shield British India from Russia (similarity 0.80)
• Britain opposed Mehmed Ali over his Ottoman expansion, not his industries (similarity 0.79)
• British hostility to Mehmed Ali came from his military expansion, not his domestic reforms. (similarity 0.79)
• Mehmed Ali’s true rival was Ottoman grand vizier Mehmed Husrev Pasha, not the Sultan. (similarity 0.79)
• Mehmed Ali secured hereditary rule for his dynasty despite British opposition (similarity 0.78)