Al-Jabartis and His Chronicle of the French Occupation 1798 Essay

The Chronicle of the French Occupation, 1798 – Napoleon in Egypt, was written by the Egyptian born scholar and jurist, Abd al-Rahman al-Jabarti (c. 1753-c.1825) between 1798 and 1801, framing the French occupation of Egypt. Both the Middle East and Europe, during the late 17th century were in a state of redefinition. Although the chronicle had covered only the brief period during first seven months of 36, it serves as a crucial accounting. Clearly illustrated is a paradigmatic shift between a modern culture and an antiquated system with a chronicle of events that swings between something that is merely observational to something written by an emotionally charged spectator. Although the work has been widely accepted, there is still some speculation as to degrees of censorship and possible omissions through various translations. The French occupation is a confrontation between exported modernity and an old regime: the French revolutionaries and their dominance over the Ottoman social order that is markedly different in contrast; and, al-Jabarti reports on how it transfers cross-culturally. Levels of contestation, open and/or secretive acceptances give way to losses and gains driven by high emotion – even for this writer. He â€Å"describes very carefully every step in the negotiation of the organization of society, from administration to inheritance, from property to charity or from justice to deliberation.† Al-Jabarti’s accounts were written with a criticism and tone that lacked very little neutrality. Clearly described is the questioning of Napoleon’s sincerity. They did not believe that a Christian could be a redeemer for Islam and distrusted him immensely. The disdain for Napoleon’s attempts to gain the trust and favor of the Is... ...Texas, n.d.. http://www.laits.utexas.edu/ cairo/teachers/napoleon.pdf. Livingston, John W., and Al-Jabarti. "The Rise of Shaykh al-Balad 'Ali Bey al-Kabir: A Study in the Accuracy of the Chronicle of Al-Jabarti." Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies. No. 2 (1970): 283-294. http://www.jstor.org/stable/613005 (accessed November 30, 2013). Moreh, Shmuel. "Reputed Autographs of 'Abd al-Rahman al Jabarti and Related Problems." Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies. No. 3 (1965): 524-540. http://www.jstor.org/stable/612097 (accessed December 1, 2013). Thompson, Jason. "Napoleon in Egypt: Al-Jabarti's Chronicle of the French Occupation, 1798."Journal of World History. No. 1 (1995): 144-147. http://www.jstor.org/ stable/20078629 (accessed November 28, 2013). Tignor, Robert L. Introduction. Princeton: Markus Wiener Publishers, 2010.