The сonquest of Syria by Muhammad Ali pasha in 1831–1832 and its influence on Russian-Ottoman relations

In the article, the author focuses on one of the most pivotal events of the First Egyptian Crisis (1831–1833), namely the conquest of the Syrian provinces of the Ottoman Empire by the troops of the rebel governor of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha. Additionally, he elucidates the rationale behind the Russian Emperor Nicholas I’s decision to dispatch a contingent of Russian troops in 1833 to assist the Ottoman government in its efforts to safeguard its capital. The aim of this article is to analyse the strategies employed by Muhammad Ali Pasha, the Sublime Porte, and the Russian Empire with regard to Ottoman Syria, a region of key strategic importance during the development of the crisis. The present study demonstrates that the deployment of Egyptian troops to Syria in the spring and summer of 1832 was the pivotal factor in the subsequent course of events. This challenges the dominant view in historiography, which posits that the Russian intervention in the conflict was precipitated by a direct threat of capture of the Ottoman capital by Muhammad Ali Pasha’s troops in December 1832, and that St Petersburg’s plans were limited to the defence of the Asian shore of the Bosphorus. This article, which draws on archival documents and recollections of participants in the events, demonstrates the pivotal role played by Syria in the realisation of Muhammad Ali Pasha’s objective to establish a virtually independent power base. It also elucidates the strategic countermeasures devised by the Russian command with the intention of conducting military operations against the troops of Muhammad Ali in Asia Minor and Syria. Russia’s direct military and diplomatic intervention in the conflict between the Sublime Porte and Muhammad Ali Pasha in 1833 had a significant impact, effectively thwarting the Egyptian governor’s plans and providing the Ottoman government with the necessary time to restore the combat potential of its army. However, the alliance established between Russia and the Ottoman Empire at that time did not progress further due to opposition from Great Britain, France, and Austria.