Egyptian–Ottoman War (1839–41)

Second Egyptian–Ottoman War

Part of Campaigns of Muhammad Ali of Egypt

Date	1839–1841
Location	Middle East (mainly modern-day Lebanon)
Result	Egypt renounces claim to Syria, Britain recognises Muhammad Ali of Egypt and his descendants as legitimate rulers of Egypt

Belligerents

Allied powers:

Egypt-aligned powers:

Egypt

Kingdom of the French

Spain

Allied powers:

Egypt-aligned powers:

The Second Egyptian–Ottoman War or Second Turko–Egyptian War lasted from 1839 until 1841 and was fought mainly in Syria, whence it is sometimes referred as the (Second) Syrian War.

In 1839, the Ottoman Empire moved to reoccupy lands lost to Muhammad Ali in the First Turko-Egyptian War. The Ottoman Empire invaded Syria, but after suffering a defeat at the Battle of Nezib appeared on the verge of collapse. On 1 July, the Ottoman fleet sailed to Alexandria and surrendered to Muhammad Ali. Britain, Austria and other European nations, rushed to intervene and force Egypt into accepting a peace treaty. From September to November 1840, a combined naval fleet, made up of British and Austrian vessels, cut off Ibrahim's sea communications with Egypt, followed by the occupation of Beirut and Acre by the British. On 27 November 1840, the Convention of Alexandria took place. British Admiral Charles Napier reached an agreement with the Egyptian government, where the latter abandoned its claims to Syria and returned the Ottoman fleet.

The war was the climax of the long power-struggle between the Ottoman Empire and the Pasha of Egypt, Mehmet Ali, which had reached a point of crisis that threatened to destabilize the whole of the Levant.

On June 29, 1839 an invading Ottoman army (accompanied by Moltke the Elder) was destroyed in Syria by Mohamed Ali's general Ibrahim Pasha at the Battle of Nezib, putting him in possession of the whole of Syria. This threatened to place Constantinople itself and the rule of the entire Eastern Mediterranean within his grasp. A few days after the battle the Ottoman Sultan, Mahmud II, died, leaving his Empire in the hands of his 16-year-old heir Abdülmecid. Meanwhile, the Ottoman fleet had defected to Mohamed Ali. Britain, Russia and Austria were all pledged to support the tottering Ottoman Empire and to force Mehmet Ali (who had the support of France and Spain) to withdraw from Syria.

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