Napoleon in Egypt by Paul Strathern Read Free Book Online Page A

remained at large, even with depleted Mameluke forces, French rule remained a temporary measure in the eyes of the Egyptian population. It was evident that they feared a return of the Mamelukes far more than they feared even the most severe measures imposed by the French.
    By now the Nile waters were beginning to rise, and Desaix reported from Giza that the flooding of the banks upstream meant that it was impossible for him to mount any effective pursuit of Murad Bey immediately. Napoleon decided upon a different tack, and on August 1 dispatched the Austrian consul Carlo Rosetti to Upper Egypt to meet with Murad Bey, whom Rosetti had come to know as a personal friend during his years in Egypt. Napoleon instructed the neutral consul to negotiate a peace settlement, giving him full powers to make Murad Bey the generous offer of the governorship of Girga province in Upper Egypt if he was willing to accept French rule.
    Ibrahim Bey was another matter. News soon reached Napoleon that he had halted his flight towards the safety of the Sinai desert at Bilbeis, just thirty miles northeast of Cairo. Here he had intercepted the annual pilgrimage on its return from Mecca, and plundered it of camels and provisions for his journey. Sensing his chance, Napoleon immediately dispatched Reynier after Ibrahim Bey with a hastily assembled force, including some 350 cavalry (his mounted forces now augmented with horses requisitioned in Cairo). The French infantry were reluctant, and Reynier’s progress was slow. Impatient at this news, Napoleon decided to take command himself, and quickly rode out into the field to effect more speedy progress.
    Napoleon and the advance cavalry unit surprised Ibrahim Bey as he was camped in a stand of palm trees on the outskirts of El Saliyeh, at the edge of the Sinai desert; but the tables were quickly turned as the French found themselves confronted by 500 Mameluke cavalry and 500 Arab infantry. In the ensuing skirmish the French suffered thirty casualties, and Napoleon himself was saved only by the timely arrival of Reynier’s troops, whereupon the 500 Arabs switched sides, and the French at last tipped the scales. Even so, Napoleon could only watch impotently as Ibrahim Bey and his camel caravan of wives and treasures escaped into the distant desert.
    Napoleon now learned from one of the Arab deserters that he had also been close to capturing Pasha Abu Bakr, who was still with Ibrahim Bey. In a switch of tactics, he immediately dispatched a conciliatory message to Ibrahim Bey, offering him peace terms: “You have been driven to the edges of Egypt and are now faced with the prospect of crossing the desert. You will find in my great generosity the good fortune and happiness that will transform your present circumstances. Let me know soon of your intentions. The Pasha of the Turkish Sultan is with you: send him to me with your reply. I willingly accept him as a go-between.” 5
    Ibrahim Bey was not for one moment deceived by Napoleon. He had no intention of sending Abu Bakr as an intermediary—whereupon he would certainly have been detained by Napoleon, who would have used him to validate his claims of legitimacy with the Porte. Napoleon now sent out patrols to make contact with the scattered remnants of the caravan from Mecca, which he ordered to be escorted to Cairo under armed French protection.
    Napoleon remained for two days at El Saliyeh, organizing the French administration of the delta. By now Vial had taken Damietta, where he was established as governor; Reynier was appointed governor of the eastern delta region at Bilbeis; and Murat became governor at Qalyub, in the delta region north of Cairo. Each military governor was ordered to establish a provincial divan , its members drawn from amongst local sheiks and ulema , which was to deal with the everyday running of their district. Although this was hardly democracy, any more than it represented a truly liberated Egypt, it is worth noting that it was