ld employ this force when he collected it for securing his
own independence, and a messenger was sent by the Porte to the pasha
with orders for his execution. 'Ali, being apprised by his agents at the
metropolis of the despatch of this messenger, ordered him to be waylaid
and killed; the despatches were seized and read by 'Ali before an
assembly of the beys, who were assured that the order for execution
applied to all alike, and he urged them to fight for their lives. His
proposals were received with enthusiasm by the beys whom he had created.
Egypt was declared independent and the pasha given forty-eight hours to
quit the country. Zahir Pasha of Acre, to whom was sent official
information of the step taken by 'Ali Bey, promised his aid and kept his
word by compelling an army sent by the pasha of Damascus against Egypt
to retreat.

The Porte was not able at the time to take active measures for the
suppression of 'Ali Bey, and the latter endeavoured to consolidate his
dominions by sending expeditions against marauding tribes, both in north
and south Egypt, reforming the finance, and improving the administration
of justice. His son-in-law, Abu'l-Dhahab, was sent to subject the
Hawwarah, who had occupied the land between Assuan and Assiut, and a
force of 20,000 was sent to conquer Yemen. An officer named Isma'il Bey
was sent with 8000 to acquire the eastern shore of the Red Sea, and one
named Hasan Bey to occupy Jidda. In six months the greater part of the
Arabian peninsula was subject to 'Ali Bey, and he appointed as sherif of
Mecca a cousin of his own, who bestowed on 'Ali by an official
proclamation the titles Sultan of Egypt and Khakan of the Two Seas. He
then, in virtue of this authorization, struck coins in his own name
(1185 A.H.) and ordered his name to be mentioned in public worship.

His next move turned out fatally. Abu'l-Dhahab was sent with a force of
30,000 men in the same year (A.D. 1771) to conquer Syria; and agents
were sent to negotiate alliances with Venice and Russia. Abu'l-Dhahab's
progress through Palestine and Syria was triumphant. Reinforced by 'Ali
Bey's ally Zahir, he easily took the chief cities, ending with Damascus;
but at this point he appears to have entered into secret negotiations
with the Porte, by which he undertook to restore Egypt to Ottoman
suzerainty. He then proceeded to evacuate Syria, and marched with all
the forces he could collect to Upper Egypt, occupying Assiut in April
1772.