"Muhammad Ali" finishes a financial account statement, which he was supposed to send to the Ottoman State.. and which included spending on items such as the restoration of some mosques and public water fountains and other matters, which the popular leadership had requested of him.. and when the Ottoman State grows suspicious of the statement.. "Muhammad Ali" asks al-Sharif "Omar Makram" to sign the statement.. so that the Ottoman State would be assured that they had requested these things.. and that it had been spent on what was proper.
But al-Sharif "Omar Makram" refuses.. and disowns "Muhammad Ali" and begins preparing a popular revolution against him, with the help of three of his closest friends among the popular leaders.. namely Sheikh al-Sadat, and "Muhammad al-Mahdi" and Sheikh "Muhammad al-Dawakhli".
And at the beginning of July, in the year 1809.. the sheikhs and leaders head, at their forefront Sheikh al-Sadat, on behalf of al-Sharif "Omar Makram".. to "Muhammad Ali", to threaten him and challenge him, and depose him.. if necessary.
And as soon as the council settles.. and before they speak.. "Muhammad Ali" drops a bombshell.. that throws everyone's calculations into disarray.
"Muhammad Ali" says with deliberation.. that he has discovered that al-Sharif "Omar Makram" entered into the register of the nobles some Christians and Jews, of non-Egyptian nationalities, so that they could remain in Egypt without suspicion as an enemy infiltrating the ranks.. and that he had finally discovered that he was complicit with the Mamluks in the attack on Cairo four years ago.. and accordingly.. and because he is a man not to be trusted.. "Muhammad Ali" decided to dismiss him from the syndicate of the nobles.. and to appoint Sheikh al-Sadat himself, in his place.
And it was indeed a clever blow.. for if the sheikhs and leaders were to rise up amid the crowds of the people, that would mean they were in the camp of the Mamluks.. especially since "Muhammad Ali" had not shown at all that he was an enemy of the popular leadership.. as evidenced by his appointment of Sheikh al-Sadat.
And the leaders of the popular leadership fall into a predicament.. they know no way out of it except by accepting what "Muhammad Ali" had decided.. and accepting Sheikh al-Sadat himself.. as head of the syndicate of the nobles.
And "Omar Makram" realizes that he is on the verge of defeat.. especially when the popular leaders disperse from around him.. given that he is accused of treason.
And in a final desperate move.. he calls on his two close friends.. "Muhammad al-Mahdi" and Sheikh "Muhammad al-Dawakhli".. to carry out the mobilization, and to stage a huge march that would be the beginning of the revolution, which al-Sharif "Omar Makram" would lead.
But that mobilization did not happen that night.. nor on any night.
"Muhammad Ali" bought "Muhammad al-Mahdi" and Sheikh "Muhammad al-Dawakhli" with money.. and made them abandon al-Sharif "Omar Makram".. who found himself accused of attempting to overthrow the state, and of conspiracy.. and of treason.. and in the end.. "Muhammad Ali" ordered the exile of "Omar Makram" from Cairo to Damietta.
And the popular leadership disappeared from the scene.. and a new leadership appeared.. and new sheikhs.. supporting "Muhammad Ali" with the fullest support.. and praying for him.. and inciting the people to obey him.
This group "al-Jabarti" called "the leadership of the time" or "the sheikhs of the time".
And in this way the scene was cleared and no imminent danger remained except the danger of the Mamluks.. who continued trying to turn the people against "Muhammad Ali".. and attacking his caravans or his forces.. and fighting in hit-and-run fashion in the manner of guerrilla warfare.. before withdrawing once more to the far south of Upper Egypt.
"Muhammad Ali" had received an earlier message.. in the year 1807.. from the Ottoman State, warning of the danger of the Wahhabis.. and demanding that "Muhammad Ali" confront them.. especially since they had taken control of the Hejaz and disrupted the pilgrimage, and laid their grip on the two holy mosques.
But "Muhammad Ali" postponed the matter.. and sent to the Ottoman State that he would not be able to move against them at all.. and he pleaded the problems of the home front.. and he saw that the war against the Wahhabis did not concern him at all.
But suddenly "Muhammad Ali" notices something new.
The sheikhs had begun to change their discourse and it became more hardline.. and people began to grumble against him.. and more people from among the common folk and the market rabble began to respond.. and to become hardline and to press others to be hardline.
And with a simple investigation "Muhammad Ali" discovers the secret and realizes that he had made a mistake.. because the envoys of the Wahhabis had reached the very heart of his home.. and had tainted the minds of the people and the sheikhs.
And here it was inevitable that "Muhammad Ali" make good the mistake.. and in order to enter this war.. the home front had to be completely settled.. so he decides to get rid of the Mamluks.
And suddenly.. he finds torrents of money and gifts coming upon the Mamluks from "Muhammad Ali"...!
And with their caution and suspicion they imagine that this is a trap.. or a bait of some kind.. but the gifts continue and increase.
And the money increases.
And suddenly and without prior warning.. a group of the Mamluk leaders decide that they prefer retirement and a life of comfort and plenty.. to fighting and war and danger.. and indeed they withdraw from fighting.. and support "Muhammad Ali".
And the danger of the Mamluks shrinks.. except for one group.. led by "Ibrahim Bey the Great" and "Uthman Bey Hassan".. which continued to show him enmity and to try to remove him and to rule Egypt at any price.
But "Muhammad Ali" announces publicly that he has decided to move at the head of an army to fight the Wahhabi movement.. and the Mamluks decide that this is a golden opportunity to rule Egypt in his absence and the absence of the army.
And as they lie in wait.. they are surprised by an invitation from "Muhammad Ali" to attend the celebration of investing his son Tusun with the robe of command, to assist him in the war of the Wahhabis.
And the Mamluks accept the invitation so that they may enter Cairo and remain in it, until its army departs.. and on the first of March in the year 1811.. everyone gathers in the Citadel.. in a solemn celebration.. in which platters of food and drink circulated, and everyone stuffed themselves and felt heaviness and comfort.
And during the relaxation and dullness and stupidity that accompany filling the stomach with rich foods, the forces of "Muhammad Ali" pounce on them and open fire on them.. and whoever dies dies and whoever falls from on high falls.. and after that the soldiers set off to their homes and the homes of their men to complete the massacre.. and they plunder their lands and all the wealth and money they had stored up.
And the massacre continues a full 24 hours.. in which most of the Mamluk force perished and the number of its victims was estimated at more than a thousand Mamluks.. and it does not stop except at the agreed signal of "Muhammad Ali", namely his descent with his sons from the Citadel on the following day. This event is recorded historically under the name "the Citadel Massacre".
And in this way the home front is settled.. and "Muhammad Ali" is free to fight the Wahhabis whose thinking had reached the heart of his home, so as to secure their forces before they attacked him.
And the war of "Muhammad Ali" against the Wahhabis was not easy.. because "Muhammad Ali" was not fighting a group of fanatical extremist beasts.. no.. he was in truth fighting England by proxy.. consequently it was a true epic...
And this epic, its story would take long.. so we will continue talking about it later.
And the talk has.. a remainder.
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Previous posts.
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1 - http://bit.ly/30anGpF
2 - http://bit.ly/2Q7e6zv
3 - http://bit.ly/2VVkcrX
4 - http://bit.ly/2WdncAb
5 - http://bit.ly/2HzZSo7
6 - http://bit.ly/2MeJZHO
7 - http://bit.ly/30Y8tZo