MOHAMMED ALI’S RULE IN EGYPT (1801-1849)

Mohammed Ali’s reign in Egypt has been seen as a turn point in the modernization of Egypt. This was because of the series of developmental activities that he undertook during his reign.
Mohammed Ali was a Turk of Albanian background. He came to Egypt in 1801 with a contingent of Albanian troops in the orders of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. By 1803, the Sultan of Ottoman Empire appointed him the Pasha (Viceroy) of Egypt. His earliest move was to disable the oppositions coming from the Mamluk who were also interested in controlling Egypt. With major opposition gone, he became the master and controller of Egypt.
His activities can be classified into four: Economic, Social, Military and Political.
Economic Activities of Mohammed Ali in Egypt
Under his rule a Canal was constructed which improved cultivation in Agricultural practices. The Canal helped to supply water in some parts that needed it through the River Nile. This helped in creating wealth and improving participation in Agriculture.
His reign saw to the distribution of grants to support farmers and to encourage the Agricultural participation.
During his period, Cotton production accounted for more than 80% of exported materials from Egypt. This was because of the modernization in Agricultural practices.
There were factories that manufactured military wares in Egypt under Mohammed Ali. The major issue was that some of these industries focused on the production of military wares neglected other essential materials which would have boosted the economy of Egypt.
His economic policies encouraged in influx of European goods into Egypt which suppressed internal production.
Military Activities of Mohammed Ali in Egypt
In a bid to remove opposition, he went against the interest of the Ottoman Empire. The removal of the Ottoman influence and other oppositions made him to feel unsecured. To this reason, he started reorganizing his army to meet with the possible retaliation from either the Ottoman Empire or any other opposition or interested party in or outside Egypt. He raised an army of about 83 000 men.
He invited military experts from France and Italy to advise him on how best to reorganize his army to the European standard. The officers in his army were Turks and other foreigners mainly Europeans while to lower personnel were Egyptians and Syrians. Some Egyptians were sent to French Military Schools for advancement and to gain more knowledge.
He knew the power of a naval force and worked hard in strengthening his navy. By 1837 Egypt under him had more than 18 000 seamen under the direction of 60 Europeans. Around the same 1837 Egypt had an arsenal at Alexandria with over 500 labourers, 12 line ships, 7 frigates, 4 corvettes, 3 bricks, 5 geoletters, 1 cutter, 1 engine ship and 40 big ships for transport. There was also a naval school at Ras-al-tin with over 1200 cadets.

Social Activities of Mohammed Ali in Egypt
Ali introduced secular education in Egypt and as well encouraged some religiously based educational activities in Egypt. This saw him establishing many secondary, higher institutions, vocational institutions and Quaranic schools around Egypt.
He maintained the ancient University of Al-Azhar which essentially produced theologians but opened administrative schools in Cairo and Alexandria which were affiliated to the ancient University.
He established a medical school at Abuzabel under the direction Cloth Bey a French Doctor. He as well set up a sanitation board to check the possible spread of epidemic and other communicable diseases.

Political Reforms and Activities of Mohammed Ali in Egypt
His main aim was to get native Egyptians to participate in their own political structure and handle their own affairs. Under his arrangement the head of each village represented him at he local level. The villages were grouped into 61 districts with each district headed by a person that went with the title Mamur. The districts were grouped into 7 different provinces with each under a person that went with the title Mudir or governor.
Although some native Egyptians were practically involved in the civil service but higher administrative positions were occupied by Turks and other foreigners. The Turks dominated the administrative structures in Egypt till 1952 when the Egyptian revolution uprooted them thereby giving Egyptians the opportunity to govern themselves.
He employed Europeans to help him in structuring his administrative system like the ones affordable in Europe. He divided his central administrative structure into ministries. Some of them were ministries of War, the Navy, Cultivation, Finance, Commerce, Education and Police. The state council called the Diwan were saddled with the responsibility of advising him( the Pasha).
By his political structure, Ali was able change the old Muslim pattern of political arrangement. By 1844, Mohammed Ali promulgated his own law called Famiyya Haqqaniyya which replaced Sharia and Ottoman Empire Penal Code.


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