The Campaign of Ali Bik Al Kabeer on Hijaz (1184H/ 1770 BC) The Effectiveness on the Political, Economic and Social Situation in Hejaz

Abstract

This study came to cover the lack of the studies about Ali Bik AL Kabeer (Ali Bik the Great) campaign against hijaz. The last study was done before more than fifty years ago, it was done by Dr. Mohammad Refat Ramadan, his study was in general, the information about the campaign of Ali Bik on Hijaz was very few in that study,  due to the lack of resources and specialized references about that campaign.

My study about the campaign of Ali Bik AL kabeer on Hijaz came to study that campaign from another side, that any researcher didn’t address before, I tried to clear the reflection of   this campaign on Mecca specially and Hijaz in General.  I will try to highlight the reasons of the campaign, financially and military preparation and track the procession from Egypt until the arrival to Hijaz. Later I will extract the most important outcomes; politically, economically, socially, depending on the multi references and resources such as history books and Pilgrim books, and documents of the Ottoman and modern Arab and foreign references, and periodicals, which I mentioned some of them in the list of sources and references.

These studies followed the investigative and analytical and historical approach beside interpretation and clarify of unclear terms or phrases, characters, and places. Depending  on scientific methodology  which is  approved and addressed in the list of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research in  King Abdul Aziz University, taking into account the interdependence of subjects , events, and historical sequence, while appearing  the character of the  researcher, with a commitment to objectivity and impartiality.

The reasons for the campaign on Hijaz: Several reasons have emerged called Ali Bik to send his campaign to Hijaz in 1184 AH / 1770 AD .one of important reasons was, his desire to revive the Mamluk (Slaves) State, once he took a chieftain in Egypt, he started to get rid of all his competitor and started to impose his control by placing more Mamluks in the entities on the state. He also started to make a limitation of the influence of the rest of the Mamluk princes that he was feared of their power by not allowing them to buy more Mamluks 1. He started seriously to rebuilding the Mamluk state as it was before Ottomans destroy it.  He was planning to make Egypt as a new base of the Mamluk state while the holy cities in Hijaz Mecca and Medina will belong to the new state, In addition to the coast of the eastern Mediterranean which had a very active ports booming with trade to make up the other wing of his state.  The establishment of this state will depends on the strength of the new armies of Ali Bik.2

Ali Bik got rid of the Ottoman viceroy in Egypt and ousted him3, he declared himself the district head of Egypt on Sunday, the first of Sha’ban 1181 AH (October 1768 m). He did not allow any ottoman (Wali) to enter Egypt for four years4.  Ali Bik Took advantage of the situation and try to influence the Mamluks and convince them that the Ottoman state is planning to kill them all, and reminded them of the glories of Mamluks sultans’ .he said according to Jabarti:  The kings of Egypt were like us Mamluks, such as Sultan Baybars and Sultan Qalawun and their sons.   Ottomans controlled and take over Egypt by hypocrisy 5 to the people of Egypt, Ali Bik said.  He began preparing for the above-mentioned -Mamluk state 6. Ali Bik the Great was planning out of his campaign to revive his state by controlling Hijaz and Yemen through serious economic project, he was encouraged by Venetian merchant Carlo rosti, as well as the director of his Accountants the Coptic accountant   AL Moalem Rizq to make a project lies in the seizure of the port of Jeddah the famous Port in the Region.