Egyptian civil war

Egyptian civil war
Part of Ottoman wars in Africa and Muhammad Ali's campaigns

Massacre of the Mamelukes by Horace Vernet, 1819
Date1803–February 1807
Location
Result
  • Muhammad Ali victory
  • Muhammad Ali Pasha becomes ruler of Egypt
  • End of Mamluk power in Egypt
  • Ottomans expelled from Egypt
  • Egypt Eyalet becomes an autonomous Ottoman vassal and de facto independent
Belligerents
Ottoman Empire Albanian bashi-bazouks Mamluks
Commanders and leaders
Koca Pasha
Trabluslu Ali Pasha  
Hurshid Pasha
Tahir Pasha  
Muhammad Ali Pasha
Ibrahim Bey
Bardisi Bey
Alfi Bey
Strength
3,000 (1803)
3,000 (1806)
6,000 (1803)
4,000 (1804)
Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown 200+ wounded, 400 captured

A three-way civil war between the Ottoman Empire, Mamluks who had ruled Egypt for centuries, and Albanian bashi-bazouk mercenaries in Ottoman service, took place in Ottoman Egypt from 1803 to 1807. The conflict ended in victory for the Muhammad Ali, an Albanian bashi-bazouk commander. The struggle occurred following the French invasion of Egypt by Napoleon. After the French were defeated, a power vacuum was created in Egypt. The Mamluks had governed Egypt before the French invasion and still retained power in the region. However, Egypt was officially a part of the Ottoman Empire and many Ottoman troops who had been sent to evict the French were still present.