- Sa'id of Egypt
Sa'id of Egypt (1822 - 1863) (Arabic: محمد سعيد باشا) was the
Wāli ofEgypt andSudan from 1854 until 1863, officially owing fealty to theOttoman Sultan but in practice exercising virtual independence. He was the fourth son ofMuhammad Ali Pasha (1769 - 1849). Sa'id was a , educated inParis .Under Sa'id's rule there were several law, land and tax reforms. Some modernization of Egyptian and Sudanese infrastructure also occurred using western loans. In 1854 the first act of concession of land for the
Suez Canal was granted, to a French businessmanFerdinand de Lesseps . The British opposed a Frenchman building the canal and persuaded the Ottoman Empire to deny its permission for two years.Sudan had been conquered by his father in 1821 and incorporated into his Egyptian realm, mainly in order to seize slaves for his army. Slave raids (the annual 'razzia ') also ventured beyond Sudan intoKordofan andEthiopia . Facing European pressure to abolish official Egyptian slave raids in the Sudan, Sa'id issued a decree banning raids. Freelance slave traders ignored his decree. At the behest ofNapoleon III in 1863, Sa'id dispatched part of aSudanese battalion toMexico to help put down a rebellion there.Under Sa'id's rule the influence of
sheikh s was curbed and manyBedouin reverted tonomad ic raiding.In 1854 he established the Bank of Egypt.
Sa'id died in January 1863 and was succeeded by his nephew Ismail.
Honours
*Order of Glory of
Ottoman Empire
*Special Class of the Order of the Osmans ofOttoman Empire
*Special Class of the Order of Nobility ofOttoman Empire -1853
*Grand Cross of theOrder of Saint Joseph ofGrand Duchy of Tuscany -1856
*Grand Cross of theOrder of the Netherlands Lion -1856
*Grand Cross of theLegion d'Honneur of France-1863s-ttl|title=
Wāli ofEgypt andSudan
years=1854–1863
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