Mehmed Ali (c. 1770 - 1849), often dubbed the founder of modern Egypt, was one of the most important figures in the history of the Ottoman Empire. Born in what is now Greece, and seemingly headed for obscurity, he joined the Ottoman army at the age of thirty, and later became the ruler of Egypt for half a century. Fahmy assesses the infamous leader's life, and his contribution to Egyptian, and more broadly, Islamic history.