Encyclopedia of Islam

Muhammad Ali dynasty

---

of both independence and kingship by retaining 

responsibility for communications and for defense 

of Egypt as well as foreign affairs within Egypt. 

Although a parliament and 

constitUtion

 were 

also established, the effectiveness of both was lim-

ited as the monarchy, the parliament, and the Brit-

ish were in a continuous tug-of-war for control of 

Egyptian affairs. The king looked to the British to 

support him against the reforming efforts of the 

parliament, ultimately undermining his authority 

and hindering the development of the country. 

Moreover, the king and the parliament, made 

up of Western-trained elites, were cut off from 

the majority of the people. Caught in their own 

power struggles, they failed to address the real 

and growing needs of the Egyptian people. Egypt 

was crippled by social injustices and huge eco-

nomic disparities. The personal excesses of King 

Faruq only confirmed the people’s perception 

that the government was corrupt and irreligious. 

The final blow to the old regime came with the 

military catastrophe of 1948 when the Egyptian 

army (along with those of Syria and Jordan) was 

soundly defeated by the new state of i

srael

.

Political disorder and social disarray contin-

ued until popular riots broke out in January 1952. 

A few months later the government fell in a mili-

tary coup d’état led by J

amal

 a

bd

 

al

 n

asir

. Three 

days later King Faruq was forced to abdicate and 

compelled to go into exile. There was no violence; 

he set sail from Alexandria on the royal yacht 

and spent the remainder of his life on the French 

Riviera. In 1953 the monarchy was officially abol-

ished and Egypt was declared a republic.

The Muhammad Ali dynasty transformed 

Egypt, laying the foundations for the govern-

mental infrastructure and administration that 

are still the basis for Egyptian government today. 

However, the dynasty also encouraged some of 

the ideological and economic rifts that continue 

to plague Egyptian society.

See also  a

bdUh

,  m

Uhammad

; 

colonialism

; 

reneWal

 

and

 

reForm

 

movements

.

Heather N. Keaney