Ibrahim Pasha

Ibrahim Pasha was the eldest son of Muhammad Ali Pasha, and his right-hand man in his conquests and projects
He was born in 1789, in the village of Nasratly, Greece.
He and his brother Ahmed Tosun came to Egypt on August 28, 1805. Upon his arrival to Egypt, he was appointed the Citadel’s ruler at the age of sixteen, and Tosun was four years younger. In 1806, his father sent him to Astana as a hostage, to pay the annual tribute that the Ottoman Sultan had promised to pay it, if he ruled Egypt.
On December 13, 1807, he left Istanbul for Egypt and became “Defterdar”- the Minister of Finance then.
In April 1812, he ruled Upper Egypt along with being the Minister of Finance.
In 1813, he was the official surveyor of the land of Egypt. According to Muhammad Ali Pasha’s directives, he collected the data of the agricultural land to impose annual taxes on and increase the financial resources. Moreover, he made documentation on the area and it is considered one of the most important urban works of Muhammad Ali Pasha as he determined the land areas, limits and basins, the area of each country as well as the lands used for public utilities. 
Ibrahim Pasha was taught military systems by the french Suleiman Pasha, and he became his right-hand man in his subsequent conquests. His father made him the head of the Egyptian Army in the Wahabi wars (1816 – 1819), where he achieved a great success.
In 1829, he headed the Advisory Board. Among his competencies was addressing the civil and military administrative issues. He also made huge reforms in Sharkia Directorate. The “Regulations for Farmer’s Cultivation and Managing the Provisions of Politics with the Intent to Succeed” that appeared after the establishment of the Council was the first of its work, and it stipulated the correct method for cultivating agricultural crops.
In 1831, he made a comprehensive modification in the government apparatus, especially the treasury when he became director of civil and military affairs. Among his most important works was his instructions to use the double method in accounting (Aldubia method), and use the Indian numerals in documents in European numerals.
The Ottoman Sultan appointed him the governor of Jeddah and its annexed territories, the Great Mosque of Mecca, and Medina.
Ibrahim Pasha became the commander of the Egyptian troops in the Greek and Levant Wars. He won many battles. He conquered Damascus and defeated the Ottomans in the Battle of Konya.
On September 2, 1848, he became the ruler of Egypt as per the Sultan's decree because of his father’s sickness.
He granted the agricultural lands to those who want to cultivate them, and exempted them from taxes if they needed reclamation. He established the Agricultural Credit Bank to provide the necessary advances to cultivate the lands.
He devoted great attention to the sugar industry, as he cultivated vast areas of it. He as well established a steam-powered sugar refining plant, and established a factory known as “Al-Qasr Al-A’ly”.
He made reforms to the commercial court system and he preferred free trade over the monopoly system put in place by Muhammad Ali Pasha.
During his reign, the number of forts increased to twenty-five, and he was interested in completing the fortifications of Alexandria by supplying it with soldiers and weapons. He also ordered the paving of a military road from Alexandria to Abu Qir and Rashid to transport soldiers and weapons to the forts.
He developed a plan to establish public schools in the main cities in accordance with the system used in Egypt.
He passed away on November 10, 1848.