The Sultan’s religious authority deterred Muslim governors from rebellion

Evidence

Furthermore, the Pasha knew that he also had to contend with the moral authority that the Sultan had in the land of Islam. It was one thing for Greek Christian subjects to rebel against the Ottoman authority, but quite another thing for a Muslim vali to rebel against the Defender of the Faith. — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 235

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the religious-legitimacy logic governing Ottoman/Islamic political order, echoing themes about sacral kingship and the cultural power of the caliphate.