Mohamed Ali Pasha and his family ruled Egypt for more than 147 years and until now we still have a lot of what he had to have modern Alexandria and its cosmopolitan society also, his family who we have their name anywhere. Mohamed Ali became ruler for Egypt in 1805 to 1849 which was a great turning point in the history of the Alexandria as during the last part of the eighteenth century Alexandria was limited to the old ancient Turkish City. When Mohamed Ali entered Alexandria he was astonished to find the treasury empty, so he borrowed from European commercents an amount of twenty thousand rails, currency used at that time, which is custom would repay from its income.

Mohamed Ali Pacha ordered digging El- Mahmoudia Canal as the digging terminated in 1820 and it was concluded by the French engineer Coste. He cared about having gardens, orchards, potable water allover the city. He established Darussinaia Al-Kubra (Alexandria Maritime Arsenal). He also started commercial and industrial establishments as he was aided by the French Engineer Cerisy to set up the dockyard the biggest of its kind and served for training and for the building of a new fleet. Also, he built a light house on Ras El Tin. Mohamed Ail policy helped restore Alexandria some of her glory so her population increased, communication with Cairo was facilitated and the system of telegrams came into being. Mohamed Ali pasha cared about having new districts and cared to choose the best governors for the city. And he created Ornate Council which did every thing for the beautification of Alexandria.

During the reign of Mohamed Ali Pasha, foreigners’ number reached to about 4886 person which about 12.2% of the population, so they had their own communities in the city and participated in its development. Also, wheat and cotton transaction took place in Alexandria from which they were exported. He founded Alexandria bank which led to the expansion of commerce and control of the currency. He asked a French engineer called Coste digging up the Alexandria canal (el Mahmoudia), which have his name till now, and helped changing the city’s features.

Also, Mohamed Ali assigned Cerisy to provide the city with a new shipyard so he appointed a group of European manufactures from France, Italy and Malta to teach Egyptian the various aspects of industry. So, so why Alexandrian people famous for ships industry until now and also they fabric a ship for British leaders during the Second World War. Mohamed Ali allowed European ships to enter the western port of the city, which in now under renovation, and allowed wide range of trade activities and Europeans presence which was accepted by Alexandrian people which had a great impact of the city itself as a lot of language schools, hospitals, parties and new districts most used to be for foreigners like el Anfoushy, Ras El-Tin and El Horreyya Avenue (Fouad St.) now.

Also he established Alexandria royal administration which was the first stop to (Alexandria government) and Health Councils card about developing the old city and transferring the cemeteries to be out side the city itself, ever never found any problem or dispute between Moslems, Christians or Jews as it was one city unify all nationalities and all religion in its womb but we can’t say that all the Europeans who lived here were good as many used to be just treasure hunters and in the education sector very few of them were qualified to teach and supervise teaching abroad. Muhammad Ali established long-staple cotton as a cash crop, and re-shaped Egyptian agricultural economy to orient toward cotton production. Since British textile manufacturers were willing to pay good money for such cotton, Muhammad Ali ordered the majority of Egyptian peasants to cultivate cotton to the exclusion of all other crops. At harvest time, Muhammad Ali bought the entire crop himself, which he then sold at a mark-up to textile manufacturers; by this means, he turned the whole of Egypt’s cotton production into his personal monopoly. He also experimented with textile factories that might process cotton into cloth within Egypt, but these did not prove very fruitful. So why alexandria famouse with the best factories for spping and weaving cottn as it is very near to thje delta and to the harbor to export that crops.

He really loved this city and he died here in 2nd August 1849 in Moharm Bek area, which carry the name of his son-in-low who was first governor for Alexandria and cared about Moharm Bek area, which was just farm and now it is the first district you will notice as soon as you arrive Alexandria from Cairo via the high way. So why up till now Alexandria carry his name and his bronze statue which sculpted by the French sculptor Jacquemont in 1873 in the area of Midan Al Manchia (El Manchia square) which he ordered to plan it and it is one of its main squares. And he is buried in his tomb at the Mosque of Muhammad ‘Ali al-Kabir, which carries his name in the citadel of Saladin in Cairo.

http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/alialexandria.htm

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