Ottoman Egypt in the mid eighteenth century : local interest groups and their connection with, and rebellions against, the sublime Porte and resistance to state authority
This research is an attempt to understand the relations between the Ottoman imperial government and the local administrators of Egypt, namely the mamluk beys. Gaining more financial and political power, they commenced to challenge the authority of the Ottoman governor of Egypt in the mid-eighteenth century alongside the incessant struggles between each other. Using a variety of Ottoman archival documents and contemporary narrative sources, I examine the factors behind the mamluk beysâ authority expansion that resulted in uprising of Ali Bey al-Kabir (Bulutkapan). Throughout the dissertation I pursue two arguments, which address key issues in Ottoman political historiography. The first argument concerns with the underlying causes of the mamluk beysâ extended authority. I show that short-tenured governors encountered with financially and politically powerful local components, which may be considered as a result of the decentralized administration system of the Ottoman Empire. Mamluk beysâ ambition to accumulate more financial income led them to contact European consuls directly in order to open Suez trade for them. The second argument concerns the centre-periphery relations of the Ottoman Empire. I show
Engel, Mucahide Nihal
DR Balkan Peninsula ; DT Africa ; JA Political science (General)
Ottoman Egypt in the mid eighteenth century : local interest groups and their connection with, and rebellions against, the sublime Porte and resistance to state authority. This research is an attempt to understand the relations between the Ottoman imperial government and the local administrators of Egypt, namely the mamluk beys. Gaining more financial and political power, they commenced to challenge the authority of the Ottoman governor of Egypt in the mid-eighteenth century alongside the incessant struggles between each other. Using a variety of Ottoman archival documents and contemporary narrative sources, I examine the factors behind the mamluk beysâ authority expansion that resulted in uprising of Ali Bey al-Kabir (Bulutkapan). Throughout the dissertation I pursue two arguments, which address key issues in Ottoman political historiography. The first argument concerns with the underlying causes of the mamluk beysâ extended authority. I show that short-tenured governors encountered with financially and politically powerful local components, which may be considered as a result of the decentralized administration system of the Ottoman Empire. Mamluk beysâ ambition to accumulate more financial income led them to contact European consuls directly in order to open Suez trade for them. The second argument concerns the centre-periphery relations of the Ottoman Empire. I show
ottoman egypt local interest_group connection rebellion sublime resistance state authority attempt relation ottoman imperial government local administrator egypt namely mamluk financial_political power commence challenge authority ottoman governor egypt alongside struggle other using variety ottoman archival_document contemporary narrative_source examine factor_behind mamluk authority expansion result uprising throughout pursue argument address key_issue ottoman political historiography first argument concern underlie cause mamluk extend authority show short governor encounter financially politically powerful local component may_consider administration system ottoman_empire mamluk ambition accumulate financial income lead contact european consul directly order open trade them second argument concern centre_periphery relation ottoman_empire show