Our uncle "al-Jabarti" said about the Upper Egyptian man "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam", who bore the title "the humiliator of the Ottoman Empire", that he was:
"The most exalted presence and the most shadowing cave, the great and magnificent, the revered refuge, the noble royal shelter, the haven of the poor and the meeting place of virtuous and great men.. the great one of the lands of Upper Egypt, from all of whose goodness both near and far are covered".. and "there were gathered in him perfections of which others have no example, the caravans of travel descend at the sanctuary of his happiness and lay down the staff of journeying at his door, and his deeds need no explanation, being inscribed in the pages of possibility".
"Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam's" generosity was wondrous.. to the point that it surpassed the famous generosity of Hatim.. for the pilgrims coming from the Maghreb, Algeria, Sudan, Tunisia and Libya would pass by him, and he would outfit them and provision them.. even though if they had passed through the north it would have been closer for them.. and he would send his heavily armed men to secure their caravans.. no one ever sought "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam" about a matter and returned empty-handed.. and he would grant more than was asked of him.. so people "would come to him in need and depart from him wealthy" and "if the visitor was one who hoped for kindness and benevolence, he honored him and gave him and delivered to him many times what he hoped for"...
And it was reported of him that "he would bestow sugar, grain, fruit, ghee and honey, and if a person came to him and he saw him once and he was absent from him for years and then he looked at him and spoke to him, he recognized him and remembered him and did not forget him. And his conduct in what was mentioned of guests, arrivals and seekers was a matter continuing always, never interrupted at all".
Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam spread justice among the people of Upper Egypt and did not differentiate in treatment between the sons of his own tribe and others.. for all were equal before him.. and he cared for scholars and men of religion.. and was famous for drawing them near and honoring them.. He was visited by Sheikh "Murtada al-Husseini al-Zubaidi".. and Sheikh "Muhammad bin Salem al-Hafnawi", one of the sheikhs of al-Azhar.. who lived under the wing of "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam".. His Grace Sheikh "Ali bin Saleh al-Shawari" al-Maliki.. the mufti of Farshut.
"Hammam" did not differentiate between Muslim and Christian.. "Hammam's" scribe was originally named "Bulus the Christian".. and that is because "Hammam" used to hold council sessions resembling a court in which he heard people's grievances.. and "Hammam" could neither read nor write.. so "Bulus the Christian" used to write down his decisions and rulings for him.
If you are an Upper Egyptian, then most likely your grandfather, or at least one of them.. fought with "Hammam", with a 75% likelihood.. If you are from "Qena".. then one of your forefathers without doubt.. fought with "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam".
In late 1767.. his state had become from Minya to the border of Sudan.. and Sheikh of the Arabs "Hammam" was surprised by a small army.. coming to join him.. and asking for his help.. in fighting the Ottomans.. and this army was coming from the Hejaz, headed by a fugitive Mamluk.. "Ali Bey al-Kabir" himself.. who was asking "Hammam" for a strange request.
"Ali Bey al-Kabir" asked "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam" to help him take the position of Sheikh al-Balad.. and in return for that.. "Ali Bey" would not allow the Ottoman Empire to interfere in Egypt's affairs.
And "Ali Bey" did not know that he had played the true chord that mattered to "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam".. Egypt.. so "Hammam" supplied him with men, weapons and money.. so that he could return to Cairo.
And indeed "Ali Bey al-Kabir" returned to Cairo.. as the greatest in power and the largest in number, and ascended to the position of Sheikh al-Balad.. in that same year.. 1767.
And at this very moment.. "Hammam" began to settle his accounts, and to pay the taxes and tribute to "Ali Bey al-Kabir".. and "Ali Bey" was surprised that "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam" had suddenly paid him in one payment.. an enormous sum.. which was all the taxes and tribute he had withheld from the day he became independent of the Ottoman Empire.. amounting to nearly twenty years.
And "Ali Bey al-Kabir's" influence grew stronger and he began to work toward forming something vital.. that Egypt had once possessed.. and the Ottomans had dismantled long ago...
An Egyptian army.
And "Ali Bey al-Kabir" was very violent with his opponents who rivaled him.. so he attacked them and exiled them and confiscated their properties and occupied their lands.. and the circle of his influence expanded.. and his power increased more and more.
And "Ali Bey al-Kabir" confided to our master "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam" a mad, wondrous plan.. of extreme danger.
The plan of independence from the Ottoman Empire... that Egypt would return to being free and independent.. as it was before the Battle of Ridaniya.. and in the days of the hero al-Ashraf "Tuman Bay"...
And "Ali's" plan met with great welcome from "Hammam".. and "Hammam" provided "Ali" with all the money and weapons he wished.. and "al-Kabir's" power increased.. and his presence filled the hearts of the soldiers of the Ottoman garrison in Cairo with dread.. so they submitted to him.. So he issued a decree at the beginning of Sha'ban in the year 1182 AH, corresponding to 11 December 1768 AD.. deposing the Ottoman governor.. and assuming himself - "Ali Bey al-Kabir" - the position of qaimmaqam of Egypt.. instead of the deposed governor.
The Janissaries in Egypt were enraged.. but "Ali Bey", with his men and the army he had begun to form.. and with the help of "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam".. struck with an iron fist.. and Egypt submitted to him from its farthest reaches to the border of Minya.. where "Hammam's" state lay.
And in mid-December of the same year.. 1768.. "Ali Bey" sent, without any warning.. a governor to Girga.. and "Hammam" received him and welcomed him.. and handed him the rule of Girga.. but as far as the people were concerned.. the governor was merely a nominal ruler.. because they preferred to consider "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam" the actual ruler.
And "Ali Bey al-Kabir" was content with the current situation.. "Hammam" carrying the burden of all of Upper Egypt.. and the tribute arriving regularly.. and everything was fine.
And in late December of the same year.. "Ali Bey al-Kabir" confided to Sheikh "Hammam" his desire to seek the help of Russia.. against the Ottoman Empire.. in order to become independent of it.. and to return Egypt as it had been.. free and independent.. and Russia at that time was, as we said, in continuous wars with the Ottoman Empire.
And matters flared up suddenly.. and "Hammam" revolted.. and decided that there was no difference between Ottoman occupation and Russian intervention.. and rejected "Ali Bey al-Kabir's" plan completely.. and rebelled against him.
"Al-Kabir" tried to convince "Hammam" that this was the game of politics.. but "Hammam" completely refused.. and matters escalated.. and "Hammam" halted the tribute of Upper Egypt to Cairo.. and expelled "Ali Bey al-Kabir's" officials.. and became independent in Upper Egypt once again.
And at the same time.. a group of Mamluks fled from "Ali Bey al-Kabir's" oppression.. so "Hammam" opened his arms to them and gave them refuge.
And "Ali" asked "Hammam" to hand over the fugitive Mamluks.. but "Hammam" ignored him completely.. and here "Ali Bey al-Kabir" found no solution but to mobilize his new army.. and march to Upper Egypt to fight his old friend.. "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam".
The Ottoman Empire learned of the matter.. and found it a golden opportunity to rid itself of the man who had humiliated it and broken its nose.. so it sent the army of Syria to fight alongside "Ali Bey al-Kabir" and under his command.. and then sent him a special army from Istanbul.. to support the first two armies.. with cover from artillery ships, on the waters of the Nile.
A strange situation.. and the allies became enemies in the blink of an eye.. and for the first time in history.. since the days of King "Menes".. the armies of Egypt stood against one another.. north and south.
Or, more precisely.. three armies from the north.. against the army of the south.. led by the Upper Egyptian "Hammam bin Yusuf".. who was struck by deep sorrow at what he considered a betrayal from his friend and ally, the one who had extended a helping hand to him at the height of his weakness, "Ali Bey al-Kabir".
And in July of the year 1769 AD.. the three armies engaged.. with the army of "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam".. and they were surprised by extremely fierce resistance.. that forced them to retreat.. and the Ottoman army advanced.. but it faced a humiliating defeat.. and withdrew from Qena to the borders of Asyut.. and "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam" pursued it.. through swamps.. and muddy land and rugged mountains.. in which the Ottomans were incapable of fighting.
And the Ottomans discovered that they could not defeat "Hammam" except with one weapon.. that they were skilled at using.. and accustomed to.
And in October of the same year.. the allied forces.. composed of the army of Cairo, the army of Syria and the Ottoman army, attacked "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam" once again.. and "Hammam" was leading the army himself along with the only person he trusted with absolute, blind confidence.. his cousin.. Sheikh "Ismail Abu Abdullah".
And on the borders of Farshut.. the armies of the north met.. with "Hammam's" army in a decisive battle.
And in this battle.. Sheikh "Ismail Abu Abdullah" withdrew without any warning from "Hammam's" side, together with the larger part of the army of Upper Egypt...
The Ottomans used their favorite, most cherished weapon.. and succeeded in using it.. the weapon of treachery.. They surrounded "Ismail".. and promised him the leadership of Upper Egypt after "Hammam".. and tempted him with money.. so he abandoned "Sheikh of the Arabs" along with most of his army.
And it was a terrifying shock for "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam".. to whom this betrayal was a crushing blow.. so he was defeated for the first and last time in his life before the Ottoman forces.. and the two armies of Cairo and Syria.. in late October of the year 1769.
And "Abdullah's" betrayal was devastating to "Hammam" on the personal level.. he could not believe it himself.. and he abstained from food completely.. and a killing sorrow overtook him.. so he withdrew with the men who remained on his side.. and retreated to south of Farshut.. and fortified himself there.. and then in mid-October.. he took his staff in silence.. and left Farshut alone, on foot, without a single word of farewell.. as if he were a hundred years old.. and reached near Esna.
And in Esna.. "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam" spent a few days chewing the taste of betrayal and bitterness in his throat.. and then he died of overwhelming grief on the first of December.. of the same year.
Here one of "Ali Bey al-Kabir's" students suddenly emerged on the scene.. and his name was "Muhammad Abu al-Dhahab".. from the Turkish Mamluks.. he entered Farshut and plundered it.. and reached Esna.. and took possession of the body of "Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam"...
And the Ottoman Empire decided to mutilate "Hammam's" corpse.. so that it would be a lesson to others.. to those whose souls tempt them to oppose it.
But suddenly a strange situation occurred...
"Ali Bey al-Kabir".. who had been on his way to fight "Hammam".. was grieved by his death to a strange degree.. and wept for him.. and ordered that his body not be touched no matter the cost.
And then "Ali Bey al-Kabir" ordered that "Hammam" be buried in "Naga al-Qarya" in Qena, where he had instructed, and he prayed over him.. and he decided, as qaimmaqam of Egypt, that he would inscribe on his grave two unique titles, borne by no other human being in that era...
The title "Great One of Upper Egypt"...
And the title "Honor of the State"...
"Honor of the State, Great One of Upper Egypt, Hammam bin Yusuf bin Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hammam".
And for the first time in more than a full decade.. the Ottoman Empire breathed a sigh of relief and heaved in comfort.. after it had rid itself of the nightmare of "Hammam".. whom the Egyptians called "the humiliator of the Ottoman Empire".
With "Hammam's" death his army disintegrated.. and his kingdom vanished as if it had never been.. and the state of Upper Egypt ended without a trace.. and the army of Syria and the Ottoman army withdrew.. and "Ali Bey al-Kabir" became the actual ruler of all Egypt.. from one end to the other.
But "al-Kabir's" ambition exceeded that to something greater.. and he aspired to independence from the Ottoman Empire entirely.
And this story would take long to tell.. so we will continue our talk about it later.
And the talk.. has more to come.
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- Previous posts in the first comment
- The image is of the mosque of Sheikh of the Arabs Hammam, an architectural masterpiece 262 years old.
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