Abu al-Dhahab
Muhammad Abu al-Dhahab, also just called Abu Dhahab was a Mamluk emir and regent of Ottoman Egypt.
Origin
Born in the North Caucasus region of Circassia or in Abkhazia he was kidnapped and sold to the Mamluk Emir Ali Bey al-Kabir in Egypt. He became Ali Bey's closest and favourite fellow, his most trusted general and even his brother-in-law.Military career
During the Russo-Turkish War Ali Bey declared Egypt's independence from the Ottoman Empire and attempted to restore the former Mamluk Sultanate which was conquered by the Ottoman Turks 250 years before. On behalf of Ali Bey, Abu Dhahab suppressed a revolt in Upper Egypt, seized the Hejaz and - allied with the Palestinian emir Daher al-Umar - conquered large parts of Ottoman Syria. Having taken Damascus from its Ottoman governor Uthman Pasha al-KurjiSiding with the Ottomans
Abu Al-Dhahab changed sides, choosing to side with the Ottomans against Ali bey, he handed over all the conquered territories to the Ottomans and marched against Cairo. Ali Bey fled to Daher al-Umar in Acre, and Abu Dhahab became the new Shaykh al-Balad and de facto ruler of Egypt.When Ali Bey came back and tried to restore his position, he was defeated and killed by Abu Dhahab's forces near Cairo.