Over 30,000 Egyptians rebelled against Mehmed Ali’s conscription in 1824

Evidence

The problem with this argument insofar as it pertains to the army, besides the obvious one of lumping together the entire rural population of Egypt under the general rubric of “fellahin,” is that the population of Egypt, far from enthusiastically flocking to serve in the army, was in fact very resentful of military service and strongly resisted serving in the army. … Recognizing that the scale of this resistance was alarming, that it was not localized but was widespread throughout Egypt, and that the rural population went out of their way to make this resistance obvious, it is still commonplace to argue that this was only a temporary reaction caused above all by “the fellah’s strong attachment to his land and the unfamiliarity of military life to him.” — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 92 (#exemplifies, via linked claim)

Categorization

  • XREF: connects to: Mehmed Ali founded a conscription-based army in Egypt in 1820 — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 70; Egyptian peasants strongly resisted conscription into Mehmed Ali’s army. — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 92; Egyptian peasants maimed themselves to escape conscription into Mehmed Ali’s army (+4 more)

Broader Connections