Izzet opened the two petitions in surprise, and his brow immediately furrowed. Turning to Selim III, he said, "Your Majesty, they wish for Muhammad Ali to become Governor of Egypt."
Yes, this was the condition Joseph had set for releasing Ibrahim and preserving the status of the other Mamluk nobles.
Given Muhammad Ali's current standing, without the support of local Egyptian forces, the governorship would never have fallen to him. Historically, he had begun in Egypt as a mid-ranking officer, using every maneuver at his disposal to win over the various factions. It had taken him nearly five years to gradually seize control of Egypt's government. Joseph had no desire to wait five years, so he could only give him a push.
Selim III had not expected that a minor Albanian officer could possess such great prestige in Egypt.
More than half a month later, the officials he had dispatched to Egypt to investigate returned and told him that, at present, only Muhammad Ali could keep both the Mamluk army and the Arabs at the bottom of society in line.
At that point, Selim III had no choice but to accept the outcome of having this Albanian manage Egypt.
June 22, 1797.
Selim III's envoy arrived in Cairo and proclaimed the Sultan's decree, appointing Muhammad Ali as Egypt's Defterdar. This was an official in the Ottoman bureaucratic system responsible for provincial finances, taxation, and land—a top-ranking administrative post.
Yes, on Izzet's advice, Selim III had not directly made Ali the Governor. That way, should the latter make even the slightest mistake, a Governor could immediately be dropped in from above.
Of course, Muhammad Ali now held both military and civil power in his hands. In truth, he was already the de facto Governor.
After this "acting Governor of Egypt" took