Cairo is bounded in the west by Jebel Moqattam and in the east by the river Nile. There are three major periods in its' development. The Heliopolis (3100 B.C.), the Memphis (capitol of the Old Kingdom), and the Fort Of Babylon Period. The capture of the Fort Of Babylon in 640 A.D. marked its' beginning as the "Mother Of The World", as well as the establishment of Islam in Egypt. With the Ottoman Conquest in the 16th century, Cairo became one of the providences whose capital was Istanbul and the coffee and spice trade insured Cairo's prosperity. Salah ad-Din began the Citadel between 1116-1207 which became the seat of power. Napoleon conquered Cairo in the Battle Of The Pyramides in 1798 against the Mamluk's who were in control of Egypt and then he returned to France in 1799. Muhammad Ali Pasha came into power and in his way of removing the Mamluk power from Egypt; on March 1, 1811, Muhammad Ali invited all of the leading Mamluks to his palace to celebrate the declaration of war against the Wahhabis in Arabia. Between 600 and 700 Mamluks paraded in Cairo. Near the Al-Azab gates, in a narrow road down from Mukatam Hill, Muhammad Ali's forces ambushed and killed almost all in what came to be known as the Massacre of the Citadel. During the following week, hundreds of Mamluks were killed throughout Egypt; in the citadel of Cairo alone more than 1,000 were killed. Throughout Egypt an estimated 3,000 Mamluks and their relatives were killed. Thus, Muhammad Ali Pasha gained control of Egypt. Muhammad Ali Pasha began the draining of the lakes of El-Ezbekiya and this action marks the beginning of Modern Cairo.
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| El-Basha hoch Mausoleum. Contains The Tombs Of The Mamelukes' |
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| El-Basha hoch Mausoleum. Contains The Tombs Of The Mamelukes' |
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| Stained Glass | Mameluke's That Mohammed Ali Assassinated On His Accession |
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| Mameluke Tombs | The Citadel & Mohammed Ali Mosque |
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| Mameluke Tombs | Mohammed Ali Mosque Built In 1830 On Site Of Mamelukes' Palace |
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| Mohammed Ali Mosque | Audrey Inside Mohammed Ali Mosque |
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| Left - Sultan Hassan Medersa Right - Ar-Rifa'i Mosque | Qaitibay El-Mohammedi Mosque In Old Cairo |
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