Egypt

Abstract

Nominally a pashalik of the Turkish empire, Egypt has been virtually an independent state since the year 1811, when Mehemet Ali, appointed Governor in 1806, made himself absolute master of the country by force of arms. His position was recognised by the Imperial Hatti-Shériff of February 13, 1841, issued under, the guarantee of the five great European powers, which established the hereditary succession to the throne of Egypt, under the same rules and regulations as that to the throne of Turkey. The title given to Mehemet Ali and his immediate successors was the Turkish one of ‘Vali,’ or Viceroy; but this was changed by an Imperial firman of May 14, 1867, into the higher Arabic of ‘Kedervi-el-Masr,’ or King of Egypt, and the present ruler has since been known as the Kedervi, or, as more commonly called, Khedive. By the same firman of May 14, 1867, obtained on the condition of the sovereign of Egypt raising his annual tribute to the Sultan’s civil list from 80,000 purses, or 360,000l., to 150,000 purses, or 675,000l., the succession to the throne of Egypt was made direct, from father to son, instead of descending, after the Turkish law, to the surviving eldest heir.