Petition - Petition sent by the coffee merchants of Egypt to General Napoleon Bonaparte | McCord Museum

Petition

Petition sent by the coffee merchants of Egypt to General Napoleon Bonaparte

Date December 6, 1798 - February 18, 1799

Dimensions1 textual record ; 35.8 x 25.6 cm

ClassificationCommunication Objects - Documentary Objects - Other Documents

Origin Cairo, Egypt, Africa

Object NumberS001/E3.2,1.1

DivisionArchives - Textual Archives

CollectionStewart

Scope and ContentBetween 1798 and 1801, revolutionary France was attempting to undermine the economic power of England, its enemy, by controlling the sea route to India. To this end, it mobilized an expeditionary force led by General Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). On arriving in Egypt, the French took a stand against the ruling Mameluks and allied themselves with the Ottoman Empire. After taking possession of Cairo, they set themselves up as the country’s new leaders.

This document consists of a petition addressed to General Bonaparte drawn up by Cairo’s coffee merchants, requesting that he not impose unfair taxes on them as had the previous Mameluk government headed by Ibrahim Bey (1735-1817). As well as the petition written in Arabic, the document includes a handwritten French translation and remarks concerning the validity of the merchants’ grievances.

NotesSource of title: based on the nature of the document.

Attributions and conjectures: the document appears to be signed by General Napoleon Bonaparte, who would become the emperor of the French under the title of Napoleon I.

Language of the document: the document is in Arabic and French.

General notes: the document concerns the taxes imposed by Ibrahim and Mourad Bey (1750-1801). The French text that follows the Arabic appears to be a translation.

Status

Not on view

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