That night Napoleon entertained his senior officers and the local dignitaries in the banquet hall of the Pasha’s palace. The French band had played during the first part of the feast as the guests sat on cushions before low tables set with platters of an eastern design.What was music to European ears was clearly little more than a discordant racket to the Egyptians and in the face of their pained expressions Napoleon had the band dismissed for the rest of the night. In deference to the locals, and to the chagrin of his officers, there was no alcohol at the tables and the Frenchmen sat with glazed expressions of boredom as several long-winded speeches were made by Cairo’s leading worthies. In his reply Napoleon set out the ambition of the revolution to free peoples across the world from oppression. No longer would they be tyrannised by Mameluke warlords. He promised that his men would respect the Muslim faith, local customs and property.

His words were received with polite applause and nodding of heads and then the guests returned to their meals, and a low hubbub of conversation echoed off the high walls of the chamber. Napoleon was seated on a raised dais at the end of the hall, with Berthier, Desaix, Junot and the most influential imam and sheikh of the city. Sheikh Muhammad el Hourad had made a small fortune from his dealings with French merchants who traded with Alexandria and had a good grasp of the language of his new masters. As he reached to pour Napoleon a fresh goblet of water he smiled and said, ‘Tell me, General, this revolution of yours, does it truly seek to rid the world of oppression?’

‘Of course.’ Napoleon nodded. ‘Its values are inspired by the greatest and most enlightened philosophies of the civilised world. No Frenchman today is required to demean himself before any other. We are all equal before the law and any man can forge his own path to success and greatness. What people of the world would not want to share in that vision?’

The sheikh nodded his head. ‘A fine ambition, General, but I wonder if your vision will have much purchase in less . . .’ he paused for a moment, then smiled faintly,‘less civilised lands, such as our own.’ He gestured round the hall. ‘These people are not of the fellahin; they would not welcome any change to our social order. I fear there would be much resistance to the values of your revolution.’

‘I understand, but surely you would agree that all men should have the chance to free their talents from the chains of their social caste?’

‘If that was the will of Allah, then it would be so.’

‘If it is the will of men, then it is so,’ Napoleon countered. ‘And now that we have freed Egypt from the Mamelukes, it will be so here, as it is in France.’