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Apologies to Edward Said's ghost.
What would the estabilished political regime of a successful Egyptian Expedition after 1798 look like?
Assume that the French naval squadron is not defeated by Nelson at the Battle of the Nile. Because of the continued threat of the French Mediterranean navy, the Ottoman sultan begrudgingly accepts a French presence in Egypt to replace the Mamelukes, and, as a result, Napoleon is not forced to invade Syria, at least for the time being.
Would Napoleon still return to France? Who would be the head of state of this new "Egyptian Republic"? Would Kleber be a good option? If not, then what local authority could they prop up?
What sort of symbology and national ideology would this state adopt? I'd wager that the new French and francophile elite would have to tread careful ground not to offend local Muslim culture. What would be their relationship with the Ottoman sultan, and how would things develop from there?
How would this affects the Jews in the area?
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