What if in the settlement ending the Ottoman-Egyptian Wars, Muhammad Ali got Libya as recompense for Syria and the Ottomans retained the Levant?
Egypt is independent here.
Egypt is independent here.
What if in the settlement ending the Ottoman-Egyptian Wars, Muhammad Ali got Libya as recompense for Syria and the Ottomans retained the Levant?
Egypt is independent here.
If he conquer it during the wars. he will be able to keep it afterwards .
I thinking he just takes both the Levant and Libya during the first Ottoman-Egyptian war. I doubt the Europeans will care to force him to give Libya back.Mehmed Ali could easily take Libya as Ottoman central authority wasn't establish there yet. But he chose for the Levant. It is worth much more and not only economically but defensive as well.
I thinking he just takes both the Levant and Libya during the first Ottoman-Egyptian war. I doubt the Europeans will care to force him to give Libya back.
I can only see this working IF Egypt was truly independent. They never claimed to be, as the Ottoman Sultan was Caliph, but we accept that Ottoman power is so compromised in some way that it Egypt decides to consider itself no longer bound IN ANY WAY by Istanbul, then I can see this being a negotiated peace.
IMHO it would have to have third-party intervention - maybe Russia ties the Ottomans to it as a vassal but agrees to let Egypt go as long as the Ottomans retain the Levant. Its not GOOD for Egypt, but if there are guarantees as to the non-intervention in trade etc, they can source their timber from European nations.
Libya would probably be more integrated with Egypt in this ATL than the Levant was OTL.