Sultan Abdülaziz's visit to Egypt in 1863

The main theme of this thesis is the reasons and the results of Sultan Abdülaziz's voyage to Egypt (April-May 1863). In order to better understand the voyage, the second Mehmed Ali Paşa crisis is laid under scrutiny along with the relations between the Ottoman Empire and the Province of Egypt in a common framework. The privileges recognized to the Suez Canal Company (by Abbas Hilmi Paşa in 1854 and by Said Paşa in 1856) were including the use of corvée labour (declared forbidden by the Tanzimat Edict) and the liberal use of lands along the designated fresh water canals. Resultantly, the Ottoman Sultan didn't approve these privileges, and the relations softened under Abbas Paşa's reign once more reached a high tension. Moreover, the great powers of the era also became involved in the issue. Between 1860 and 1863, the question is debated among the Ottoman Empire, England and France. In order to assert his singularity claim for policies on Egypt, Sultan Abdülaziz set out for Egypt in April 1863, and he also visited Smyrna, Hellespont and Gallipoli during the voyage. After his return to İstanbul, İsmail Paşa of Egypt applied to the Sublime Porte for the solution of this problem. By discussing the problem within itself and with the great powers, the Sublime Porte set the rules which the Company had to follow in the construction of the fresh water canals. The thesis aims at explaining these summarized events by relying on archival documents and other related research sources.