Battle of Nezib

The Kütahya convention did not satisfy the interests of both powers either in content or in results. Mahmud II wanted to return the concessions he had granted, take revenge on Mehmet Ali Pasha and restore the prestige of the country. Mehmet Ali Pasha, on the other hand, sought to increasingly expand his territories and gain complete independence.^[6]

Both sides began to actively prepare for war: the Egyptian side actively built fortresses, strengthened mountain passes with fortifications, purchased cannons and expanded the army.^[7] The Ottoman side was also preparing for war. One of the steps taken by the Turks towards war was the recruitment of Prussian officers into the ranks of their army, one of whom was the famous Helmuth von Moltke.^[8] In the ranks of the Egyptian army was the French general Soliman Pasha al-Faransawi.

According to the order of Sultan Serasker Hafiz Mehmed Pasha is to take a strong mountain position, strengthen it and there await a further Syrian uprising, without engaging in battle at the beginning of the campaign and aiming for a general offensive, especially not on the plain. On the contrary, a pitched battle fought at the very beginning of a campaign presents only disadvantageous opportunities. However, Hafiz disobeyed the order, as he was extremely interested in participating in the battles according to Moltke’s stories.^[9]

Summarize Fact Check

Unable to risk attacking the fortified Turkish position from the front, Ibrahim decided to outflank it from the right. On 22 June, he succeeded in executing this difficult and risky move, and Ibrahim's army took up position on the left bank of the Karzin. The Prussian officers accompanying the Turkish army tried in vain to persuade the seraskir to either attack the Egyptian troops during their march or take up a new position, preventing their crossing of the Karzin. However, Hafiz could not abandon the fortifications, and only when Ibrahim and his entire army appeared behind the Turkish left flank, almost cutting off their retreat to Birecik, did Hafez conduct a general march on the night of 23 June, taking up positions on the heights, with his rear facing the previous positions.^[10]

The battle began at 8:00 a.m.^[10] Approaching the village of Nezib, which had rained well-aimed artillery fire on the Egyptians, Soliman Pasha ordered his troops to wheel left to outflank the Ottomans.^[11] The Egyptian batteries' fire threw the Turkish left flank into confusion; Ibrahim, hoping to end the battle with one blow, charged the Turks with his cavalry. Allowing the Egyptian cavalry to approach close, the Turks met them with intense fire; the Egyptians were quickly was put to flight. Ibrahim launched another attack, but since his cavalry had also been put to flight, he would start thinking about his personal salvation.^[10] At this point, a fierce artillery battle erupted between the two armies; but the Egyptian artillery, which had been firing very rapidly, was forced to reduce its fire, having expended its ammunition.^[11] Panic spread among the Egyptian troops, and Ibrahim was in danger of defeat.^[10] At this critical moment, Prussian staff officers advised Hafiz Pasha to advance against the Egyptians. But while Hafiz Pasha hesitated, Soliman Pasha, supported by his adjutants, forced the fugitives into line, sword in hand, under the deadly fire of the Turkish artillery.^[11]

After ammunition arrived for Ibrahim Pasha's cannon, the Egyptian artillery resumed firing.^[11] Meanwhile, the infantry of the Egyptian right wing was performing very successfully: Although the regular Turkish soldiers resisted with great tenacity, the Kurds and bashi-bazouks, unable to withstand the Egyptian artillery fire, fled, dragging other units with them. Hafiz tried in vain to restore order, but the regular troops soon followed the example of the irregulars. To conclude the battle, Soliman advanced, where his example was followed by the left and center groups of troops. This general offensive decided the battle, and the Turks were forced to retreat to Marash. The battle lasted about four hours.^[10] The Turkish losses amounted to 4,000 men killed and wounded, and they abandoned about 100 guns and their camp on the battlefield. Egyptian losses amounted to about 3,000 men.^[4]

Summarize Fact Check

The two armies were well equipped and balanced. The number of soldiers in each army was approximately forty thousand men, supported by artillery and cavalry.^[4] In terms of training the Egyptian army, he was trained in the latest military methods in terms of organizing ranks, speed of movement and maneuvering, the presence of Suleiman Pasha the French as chief of staff of the Egyptian army, and the leadership of Ibrahim Pasha, who became an expert on how to defeat the Ottoman armies years before. On the other hand, the Ottoman army had the advantage in terms of preparations, as the Ottoman army had more supplies and had been resting for several weeks in its camp, unlike the Egyptian soldiers who were exhausted by the march to meet the Ottoman army under the heat of the sun at the beginning of the summer.

According to a story, Bedir Khan Beg Emir of the principality of Bohtan who had just been besieged by the forces of Hafiz Mehmed Pasha during the Rebellion of Mir Muhammed one year earlier, to decide to be forgiven by the sultan participated in this battle by sending 30,000 men to his service.^[12]

The consequences of the Battle of Nezib were catastrophic. Following the defeat at Nezib, the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II died, and the Turkish fleet deserted and defected to Egypt. The Ottoman Empire found itself on the brink of collapse, becoming either either under the rule of Mehmet Ali or under Russian protection. But on French advice, Ibrahim Pasha refrained from direct advancing on Istanbul. However, this did not save Egypt from further European intervention.^[13]