Albanian Colony of Egypt
| Shqiptarët e Misirit | |
|---|---|
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Egypt
|
18, 000 |
| Languages | |
| Albanian, Egyptian Arabic | |
| Religion | |
| Bektashi Order, , less Sunni Islam, few Roman Catholics | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Albanians | |
The Albanian community in Egypt started by Ottoman rulers and military personnel appointed in the Egyptian province. A substantial community would grow up later by soldiers and mercenaries who settled in the second half of the 18th century and made a name for themselves in the Ottoman struggle to expel French troops in 1798–1801. Muhammad Ali (1769–1849) founded the Albanian dynasty of Egypt which lasted there until 1952. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many other Albanians settled into Egypt for economical and political reasons. With the fedayeen, Muslim Brotherhood, and the culminating Egyptian Revolution of 1952 the Albanian community in Egypt diminished.
Since 1517, Egypt became an Ottoman province. An Ottoman ruler would be appointed in Cairo. The title "beylerbey" refers to the regular governors specifically appointed to the post by the Ottoman sultan, while the title "kaymakam", when used in the context of Ottoman Egypt, refers to an acting governor who ruled over the province between the departure of the previous governor and the arrival of the next one. Several of these were of Albanian descent, as well as many within the military and bashiazouk units. Between the most known were Dukakinzade Mehmed Pasha,Koca Sinan Pasha,Abdurrahman Abdi Arnavut Pasha, and Mere Hüseyin Pasha.
During and after the French campaign in Egypt and Syria, the Ottomans would deploy many Albanian pashas, beys, military units, as well as auxiliary personnel. Some of them were Tahir Pasha Pojani with his brothers Hasan Pasha, Dalip, Isuf, and Abdul Bey, Omer Pasha Vrioni, Muharrem Bey Vrioni, Rustem Aga Shkodrani and so on. Sarechesme Halil Agha, commanding the Kavala Volunteer Contingent, would bring along his cousin, Muhammad (Mehmed) Ali, a young second rank commander.
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Wikipedia