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The Egyptian Prince
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Ali Bey, was able to rise to his position of
authority as Shayk Al Balad, or the governor of Cairo in 1763 because of the
governing system imposed on Egypt by the conquering Ottomans. But he was forced
to flee to Arabia.
Becoming the strongest of the Mameluke beys,
Ali Bey won back his position of Shayk Al-Balad. When war broke out between
Russia and Turkey, Ali Bey declared Egypt’s independence and proposed to fight
on the Russian side and refused to pay any more money to the Ottomans. Next, he
invaded Syria. But he was betrayed by his rival Ismail Bey and killed in 1773.
Ismail returned Egypt to the Ottoman control, but it still remained in the
hands of the Mamelukes.
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