d Pasha, who on
the 5th of February 1610 entered Cairo in triumph, executed the
ringleaders, and banished many others to Yemen. The contemporary
historian speaks of this event as a second conquest of Egypt for the
Ottomans. A great financial reform was now effected by Mahommed Pasha,
who readjusted the burdens imposed on the different communities of Egypt
in accordance with their means. With the troubles that beset the
metropolis of the Ottoman empire, the governors appointed thence came to
be treated by the Egyptians with continually decreasing respect. In July
1623 there came an order from the Porte dismissing Mustafa Pasha and
appointing 'Ali Pasha governor in his place. The officers met and
demanded from the newly-appointed governor's deputy the customary
gratuity; when this was refused they sent letters to the Porte declaring
that they wished to have Mustafa Pasha and not 'Ali Pasha as governor.
Meanwhile 'Ali Pasha had arrived at Alexandria, and was met by a
deputation from Cairo telling him that he was not wanted. He returned a
mild answer; and, when a rejoinder came in the same style as the first
message, he had the leader of the deputation arrested and imprisoned.
Hereupon the garrison of Alexandria attacked the castle and rescued the
prisoner; whereupon 'Ali Pasha was compelled to embark. Shortly after a
rescript arrived from Constantinople confirming Mustafa Pasha in the
governorship. Similarly in 1631 the army took upon themselves to depose
the governor Musa Pasha, in indignation at his execution of Kitas Bey,
an officer who was to have commanded an Egyptian force required for
service in Persia. The pasha was ordered either to hand over the
executioners to vengeance or to resign his place; as he refused to do
the former he was compelled to do the latter, and presently a rescript
came from Constantinople, approving the conduct of the army and
appointing one Khalil Pasha as Musa's successor. Not only was the
governor unsupported by the sultan against the troops, but each new
governor regularly inflicted a fine upon his outgoing predecessor, under
the name of money due to the treasury; and the outgoing governor would
not be allowed to leave Egypt till he had paid it. Besides the
extortions to which this practice gave occasion the country suffered
greatly in these centuries from famine and pestilence. The latter in the
spring of 1619 is said to have carried off 635,000 persons, and in 1643
completely desolated 23