Encyclopedia of Islam

Muhammad Ali dynasty

This dynasty was founded by Muhammad Ali 

Pasha (r. 1804–48) when he was appointed gov-

ernor of e

gypt

 by the Ottoman 

sUltan

 in gratitude 

for his help in defeating the French forces in Egypt. 

Muhammad Ali was determined to both modern-

ize Egypt and establish an independent dynasty 

there. A man of amazing drive and ambition, he 

achieved both. He was succeeded by his descen-

dants Abbas (r. 1848–54), Said (r. 1854–63), 

Ismail (r. 1863–79), Tawfiq (r. 1879–92), Abbas II 

(r. 1892–1914), Husayn Kamil (r. 1914–17), Fuad 

(r. 1917–36), and Faruq (r. 1936–52).

Muhammad Ali is considered the father of 

modern Egypt; he set Egypt on the path of rapid 

modernization and industrialization, forces that 

were then continued by his successors. His grand-

son, Ismail, once expressed his conviction to Euro-

peanize Egypt, stating: “My country is no longer 

in Africa, it is now in Europe.” Ismail encouraged 

the development of a European-educated Egyptian 

elite while at the same time holding on to a tradi-

tional and autocratic view of his own authority. He 

was granted the title of khedive from the Ottoman 

sultan, which conveyed a form of royalty, and was 

given permission to expand his own army and 

issue his own currency. Ismail used the greater 

freedom in economic affairs to fund his ambitious 

development projects. In the process, however, he 

drove Egypt into bankruptcy. In 1876 the British 

took over the Egyptian economy and were drawn 

further into Egyptian affairs when they forcefully 

put down the popular Urabi revolt in 1882. Under 

British occupation access to free 

edUcation

 was 

restricted and Egyptian industry was neglected 

while cotton production increased for export to 

English factories. Egypt had not become a part of 

Europe, but it had become a part of a European 

empire and was forced to develop in ways that 

benefited the colonizer more than the colonized.

In 1922 Britain declared Egypt independent, 

and London elevated the status of the Egyptian 

ruler to king. But the British undermined the idea 

Muhammad Ali Mosque (19th century), Cairo Citadel, 

Egypt

(Juan E. Campo)

K  496