Tusun Pasha

Tusun Pasha (1794–28 September 1816) — (Turkish: Tosun Paşa, Ahmet Tosun Paşa, Ottoman Turkish: طوسون پاشا‎, Arabic: طوسون باشا‎‎) — was the son of Muhammad Ali Pasha, wali of Egypt between 1805-1849.

Life

Though not as well known as Muhammad Ali's other son Ibrahim Pasha, Tusun Pasha did nevertheless attain some historical significance in the Ottoman–Saudi War, having led in 1811 the successful military campaign of the Egyptian army in the Arabian Peninsula. It was taken up in order to subdue unrest created in that region by Wahabbi forces.

It appears from historical records, that as the elder son, Tusun was destined by Muhammad Ali to carry on his legacy. This aspiration however, was not to materialize, as Tusun died in 1816 - possibly of disease - in the village of Birinbal. His brother Ibrahim succeeded him in the role of chief military commander.

Legacy

Decades later, in 1848, Tusun's son, Abbas I, inherited the role of Wali from his uncle Ibrahim, and served in this position for six years, before being murdered in 1854.

The Alabaster Mosque (Mosque of Muhammad Ali) was built by Muhammad Ali Pasha in memory of his son Tusun Pasha. It is in the Citadel of Cairo in Egypt, with construction commissioned between 1830 and 1848.

In popular culture

The 1976 Turkish film Tosun Paşa features a heavily fictionalized Tusun Pasha (played by Oktar Durukan) where the story involves his identity being taken by the protagonist played by Kemal Sunal.