The Greek war, not prior ambition, pushed Mehmed Ali toward rebellion

Evidence

While acknowledging the fact that Mehmed Ali might have always harbored a strong desire to cast off Ottoman control and even to expand his areas of control beyond Egypt, he still thought this to be a dangerous course of action. It was dangerous not only because it invited the possibility of European hostility towards him, but also because he found it difficult to contemplate his rule outside Ottoman sovereignty altogether. Being declared a rebel weighed heavily on his soul and he found it difficult to imagine himself stripped of Ottoman legitimacy. What finally tipped the balance towards rebellion was the Greek war which the Sultan had asked him to intervene in, thinking that it would weaken his strong vassal. Instead, the Pasha used it as an opportunity to try out his new troops and by the end of it he came out more resolved than ever before not to co-operate with the Sultan in the future. As far as can be discerned from his own letters it does not appear that he had contemplated military action against the Sultan before that time. — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 265

Categorization

• QUESTION: How much did the prospect of losing Ottoman legitimacy specifically deter him, versus fear of European powers? A lead for chasing the primary sources on his letters.