When it became clear that the Egyptian Pasha had no intention of pulling back his forces, the Porte ordered the Syrian valis to raise men and send them to Aleppo in preparation for fighting Ibrahim’s troops. Mehmed Pasha, deputy of the vali of Aleppo, was given the title of Serasker (Commander-in-Chief) of Syria and Arabia and was entrusted with heading this force that it was hoped would stop the advance of the Egyptian army. Furthermore, on 3 March 1832 the annual tevcihat (imperial appointments to the posts of provincial governors) were announced leaving the positions of the governors of the eyalets of Egypt, Jedda and Crete vacant until Mehmed Ali and Ibrahim should respond positively to the Porte’s request to withdraw. When this failed, a fetva (religious edict) was issued, in effect, excommunicating both Mehmed Ali and Ibrahim Pasha and appointing in their respective pashalɩks Hüseyin Pasha, the destroyer of the Janissaries, who was then Governor of Edirne. In addition, the same Pasha was appointed head of the Ottoman forces in Anatolia with the task of joining Mehmed Pasha of Aleppo and preparing jointly the task of stopping Ibrahim Pasha.

DEFINE: The passage explains the Ottoman functions of tevcihat (imperial provincial appointments) and fetva (religious edict of excommunication) as instruments of political pressure. Builds on: "The sultan actively conspired to depose Mehmed Ali from afar."

Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed…, loc. 244