Dear Vitaly:
As an Egyptian-Circassian I would like to share my thoughts on your comment in reference to Circassians from Egypt. (24 May) The suggestion that many Circassians emigrated to Egypt in the 1864 period is not accurate. Most émigrés from the 1864 migrations went to Turkey, and many were subsequently distributed to other Ottoman lands, most notably Syria, and the Balkans. Those in Egypt had mostly come before this date.
Not Mamelukes but rather those who came seeking sanctuary in Egypt between 1825-1850 at the invitation of the Viceroy of Egypt; Mohamed Aly Pasha 1769-1849. It should be noted that the Viceroy of Egypt was in communication with many Circassian leaders in the war against the Russian invasion in the 1832-1840 period. The viceroy also sent material assistance in the form of guns and gold. He also invited them to send members of their families to Egypt for sanctuary during this period.
There are indeed the traces of the former Mameluke Beylicate, while most of their leadership were massacred by Mohamed Aly Pasha in 1811, the younger apprentice mamelukes were spared and at a later date in the early 1820’s some one thousand of them formed the cadres of the officer corps of the new Egyptian army.
Many years later two reinforced Egyptian-Ottoman Divisions of some 45,000 men were sent to the Crimea War (1853-1856), two of the three senior commanders were of Circassian descent, one of the two was a former apprentice mameluke; Lt. General (Ferik) Selim Pasha, Fathy el Hegazy, who commanded the 1st Division (22,000 men) and Brig. General (Lewa) Ga’afar Pasha Sadek commanded the cavalry contingent (1,600 lances). Selim Pasha was of Kabartay origin Anzawur being the tribal name, his name ‘Fathy el Hegazy” meaning liberator of the Hegaz, from the Wahhaby heresy, as he was responsible for the pacification of the Nejd and Hegaz provinces of Arabia from the Wahhaby insurrection in the 1830’s. Ga’afar Pasha was of Abzach origin, and I have the tribal name and family tamgha. Of this army of 45,000 men that served in the Crimea War, their officers comprised 40% Circassian officers many of whom had been apprentice mamelukes, but others like Ga’afar Pasha had come to Egypt for sanctuary in the late 1820’s.
My point that these are Circassians from Egypt came many years prior to the 1864 migrations. In addition earlier Circassian families of mameluke background had more often than not submerged in the general population. There were some who had maintained a semblance of notability into the 19th century.
I note that you suggest a sort of anti-Turk independence of the Egyptians in the 19th century, I think this is way overblown. Subsequent to the British occupation of 1882 and the imperial policy of divide and rule much was made of this issue, but fundamentally we are here speaking of the dar el Islam, under the Ottoman Caliphate, it is not a sort of Turkish Raj over Egypt. On the contrary the Ottomans are not the Turks, they are the multi-ethnic, uni culture of the Islamacate Civilization of the West.
In my own case, my ancestor was a Hazaret Kabartay, that is a Kabartay whose people had migrated from Russian controlled Kabardia, to what was still Ottoman Kuban. Because of the wars my ancestor was sent to Egypt and was brought up in the household of the Viceroy; Mohamed Aly Pasha. He later served as a Major in the Egyptian-Ottoman army sent to the Crimea War, and later still served in high government position in Egypt.
I am very interested in the documents you mention, report of Prince Gorchakov on Egypt and the Circassians. I speak, read and write fluent French, so if you are need of assistance in this matter I would be more than happy to help.
With my best regards,
Mahmoud Sabit (Nakhush)

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