Al Sayed Mohamed Korayem

 

Al Sayed Mohamed Korayem was born in the Anfoshi district in Alexandria before the middle of the eighteenth century.

He was raised an orphan then he was adapted by his uncle who opened a small store for him in the same neighborhood.

He frequently went to the mosques to learn in them and to public lectures in order to speak in them.

He became known among the people of Alexandria by his patriotism and courage till he gained great popularity among them.

When the ruling authority in Egypt moved in the hands of two of the Mamluki leaders in Cairo, Murad Bek and Ibrahim Bek

    (between 1790 and 1798), Murab Bek appointed Korayem the ruler of Alexandria and the manager of its customs because

    he had noticed how Korayem was highly esteemed by the people of the city.

While Korayem was carrying out his duties in governing Alexandria and supervising its customs, features of the occupation started dangling in the horizon; on May 19, 1798, a huge French fleet formed of 260 ships took off from the Toulon harbor in France. On board the ships were soldiers, cannons and scientists leaded by Napoleon Bonaparte and heading towards Alexandria passing by Malta.

When the English knew about this, they charged Nelson with tracking down and destroying the French fleet. Nelson reached

Alexandria on July 28, 1798 but did not find any sign of the French.

Nelson sent a delegation to the ruler of Alexandria, Al Sayed Mohamed Korayem, to seek his permission to allow them to wait for

   the French fleet outside the harbor as well as to buy food supplies that they need from the city. However, Korayem refused their request

  saying that, “Neither the French nor anyone else own anything in this country, so go away..."

The English still waited for the French outside the city for twenty four hours and when the latter did not show up, they took off towards Anatolia to look for their enemy. In less than a week after their departure, the French fleet appeared on the Alexandria shores. Korayem immediately sent to Murad Bek and Ibrahim Bek in Cairo to seek their help.

They decided that Murad Bek along with his troops would to Alexandria to defend it against the enemy while Ibrahim Bek would stay behind to defend Cairo.

Korayem was getting ready to defend the city with whatever available to him from war materials and supplies.

He kept leading the people’s resistance even after the French had broken into the city walls. He kept on leading the battle, and then he, along with his soldiers, took shelter in the Qaitbay fort until they ran out of supplies.

At that moment, he gave up fighting and was arrested along with his companions.

Napoleon then entered the city and announced that it is a safe place.

Napoleon however admired Korayem’s courage so he set him free.

He pretended to be nice towards him and allowed him to keep his position as ruler of Alexandria.

Later, Korayem was arrested again with charges of incitement of struggle and treason of the French Republic.

Napoleon sent Korayem a message ordering him to pay a ransom of thirty thousand Riyals to the army’s treasury in

   order to save his own life.

Korayem refused the offer saying that, “If I am destined to die, then paying this ransom will not save me from death, and if

    I am destined to live, then why do I have to pay it?"

On September 6, 1798, Bonaparte issued a verdict of executing Korayem before a firing squad at noon in the square of the fort which was carried out on the same day. In 1953, Korayem was honored by putting his picture for the first time among the pictures of the governors of Alexandria in the governate building in order to honor his name. His name was also given to the Tatwig Street which is called the Mohamed Korayem Street now.

His name was given to one of the private schools in Alexandria (The Mohamed Korayem School at Smouha).

On 27 November, 1953, the new mosque next to the Ras El Teen palace was officially opened and given the name the Mohamed Korayem Mosque.

Moreover, a statue of Mohamed Korayem was made and put in the Khaldeen Garden in Alexandria

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