13.  The  Turks  have  been  the  overlords  of  Egypt
for  nearly  four  centuries.     Selim  I.,  sultan  at  Con-
stantinople, having  reduced  the  country,
the^Preient!    divided  it  into  twenty-four  military  prov-
inces.*    Over  these  he  placed  Memluks,
called  Beys,  who  were  subject  to  a  Turkish  Pasha
and   his   council   of   seven.      Supreme   among   the
offices  open  to  the  Memluks  was  that  of  Governor
of  the  Metropolis,  for  which  position  the  Beys  were
often  warring.     Once  the  famous  AH  Bey  expelled
the  Pasha  and  raised  the  banner  of  independence;
but   soon   he   was    removed    by   poison.
About  ^     ^

A.D.  1766.       Just  at  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century

Napoleon     Bonaparte     invaded     Egypt,

fought  the  battle  of  the   Pyramids,  and

left  General  Kl^ber  to  rule  the  land.     Three  years

later,  the  English  assisted  the  Turks  in  expelling  the

French.      At  the  head  of  the   Albanian

x8oz

contingent  of  the  Turkish  army  was  Mo-
hammed Aly,  who,   by  a  series  of  political  move-

- .     •    "  ,  ■       •  X  .  .  ■        .  ,

s -  .     ..  -  .       ..  .  ,   .    ,  -.  .  -     .    .^       ,

'  Lane- Poole,  Siory  of  Turkey^  p.  162.
Ch.  2]  The  Hamites,  2J'j

ments,  became  pasha.     By  treacherously  massacre-
ing  the    Memluks,    he   made   his   power
supreme,  and  then  marched  toward  Con-
stantinople.    When  he  was  within  six  marches  of
that  city,  Russia  interfered;  but  Egypt  practically
gained  her  independence  though  still  trib-
utary to  Turkey.     Ismail,  the  grandson  of
Mohammed   Aly,    established   himself   as   Khedive
with  right  of  succession  from  father  to  eldest  son.
