Chapter 1440: Egyptian Strategy
Egypt.
Cairo.
Inside the red and black Ablaq Palace, Muhammad Ali handed the gift list back to the chief eunuch and instructed, "Find out what gifts Ahmed is preparing for the King of France. We must ensure our gifts are worth at least twice as much as his."
The elegantly dressed chief eunuch immediately bowed and replied, "Pasha, the acting governor can barely pay his own guard's wages. What kind of gifts could he possibly offer?"
This Ahmed was merely an agent sent by Hüsrev, the current Governor of Egypt, and the nominal ruler of the region.
Indeed, two years prior, Salem III had managed to appoint Hüsrev as the Governor of Egypt.
However, this titular governor brought almost nothing to Egypt except for the great seal bestowed by the Sultan.
Muhammad Ali, for his part, astutely relinquished all military and administrative power in Egypt, even allowing his own Albanian Legion to serve under the new governor's command.
Hüsrev was initially quite pleased, but after just three months, he realized something was amiss.
Monthly expenditures amounted to nearly a million piastres, or over a hundred thousand Pounds Sterling.
As no one in Egypt, from merchants to Mamluks, held Hüsrev in any regard, he couldn't collect taxes and was forced to subsidize expenses from his own purse.
Even if he had embezzled vast sums in Constantinople previously, he couldn't sustain such enormous expenditures.
Soon, the Albanian Legion mutinied under the leadership of an officer named Tahir, as the governor had failed to pay their wages on time.
Hüsrev frantically mobilized the Mamluk Cavalry to suppress them, but the Mamluks had previously been beaten by Muhammad Ali's Albanian army, and Hüsrev also owed them money. Consequently, they simply went through the motions without exerting any real effort.
In less than three days, under threat from the rebellious troops, Hüsrev hastily fled Cairo, hiding in distant Damietta to continue acting as governor. However, fearing the Sultan's wrath, he sent his confidant Ahmed back to Cairo to maneuver among Muhammad Ali, who served as Defterdar, and the Mamluk factions, as the acting governor.
Muhammad Ali shot the eunuch a sidelong glance. "Never underestimate any opponent. If I hear you say something like that again, you needn't bother showing your face before me."
Terrified, the eunuch immediately prostrated himself on the ground, promising to thoroughly investigate Ahmed's gift list.
Just then, Tahir entered quickly, accompanied by another eunuch, and respectfully saluted Muhammad Ali before excitedly declaring, "Pasha, news has just arrived: the Empire has been ambushed by the Persians in Georgia, and the situation is critical."
He was still nominally an Ottoman officer, so the "Empire" he referred to was naturally the Ottoman Empire.
Muhammad Ali raised an eyebrow, took the secret report from Tahir, and unfolded it, reading:
"In mid-October, Mirza's 50,000-strong army launched a surprise attack on Tbilisi from the east and south. That night, Georgian nobles within the city rebelled, burning down the Empire's arsenal.
Ahmed Pasha marshaled all his forces to resist desperately, barely managing to hold back the Persian advance.
However, three days later, Georgian royalty Iulon led 3,000 soldiers in a surprise attack on the western side of Tbilisi. Due to a lack of defensive forces on the city's west, it was quickly breached by the rebels.
Currently, Ahmed has fled to Marneuli, while Mustafa is reorganizing his army, preparing to march north and retake Tbilisi."
Muhammad Ali's eyes gleamed with a sharp light. "Is this news reliable?"
"Absolutely, Pasha."
"How does Constantinople plan to respond?"
"Rumor has it that the Grand Vizier has assembled an 80,000-strong army, commanded by Imanzadeh Pasha, to march to Georgia and teach the Persians a lesson."
Muhammad Ali folded the secret letter, paced the room a few times, then looked at the chief eunuch still prostrated on the ground. "Immediately prepare 1.5 million piastres to send to Constantinople.
"Furthermore, have Khalil write a letter on my behalf, expressing Egypt's full support for the Empire's war in the Caucasus."
Then, he instructed Tahir, "Send troops to surround the governor's residence. Ahmed is absolutely not to meet with the French ambassador."
He acutely realized that the Ottoman Empire had already committed over a hundred thousand troops to Georgia. If another 80,000 soldiers were added, the Empire would be unable to gather sufficient forces to deal with Egypt for at least one or two years.
This would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him!
Three days later.
In Muhammad Ali's private coffee room on the east side of Ablaq Palace, Talleyrand satisfied, he reviewed the gift list once more, then folded it and tucked it into his pocket.
This was not a gift list for the King of France, but for Talleyrand personally. He roughly estimated the items on it were worth over 100,000 francs.
Muhammad Ali then smiled and said in fluent French, "My dearest friend, you, more than anyone, must know that Egypt will always be France's most loyal partner on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean."
"Years ago, General Masséna and we together defeated the Mamluks entrenched here. We share a friendship forged in blood."
A faint smile touched Talleyrand's lips. Indeed, as the Crown Prince had said, the Defterdar of Egypt possessed immense ambition—he had just declared, "Egypt is France's partner," without once mentioning the Ottoman Empire.
This indicated that he did not, in fact, view Egypt as part of the Ottoman Empire.
"I heartily agree." Talleyrand raised the coffee cup before him. "And His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, has never forgotten his friends on the banks of the Nile."
"My gratitude to His esteemed Royal Highness, the Crown Prince."
Muhammad Ali first offered a few flattering remarks, then turned to Talleyrand. "You know that the Mamluks are still stirring restlessly, and the governor sent by the Empire has always sought to undermine me.
"If possible, I would like to purchase a shipment of cannons and percussion cap muskets from my French friends to ensure Egypt's stability.
"Of course, rest assured, the price will be entirely to your satisfaction."
Talleyrand, however, smiled and shook his head. "If Governor Hüsrev were to bring an army from the Levant, merely buying a few weapons would likely not be enough for you."
Muhammad Ali was taken aback by his words. "What do you mean?"
"Not my meaning, but the Crown Prince's directive," Talleyrand inhaled the coffee's aroma and calmly stated. "His Highness believes you should have your own cannon foundry to ensure Egypt does not fall into chaos."
Muhammad Ali's heart pounded, and before he could even offer thanks, he heard the French Foreign Minister continue, "And to produce capable cannons, you'll need high-quality steel. Therefore, His Highness also intends to help you establish an iron foundry."
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