Britannica Sources used in this answer

What was Alexandria like when Napoleon invaded Egypt in 1798?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Abu El-Abbas mosque in Alexandria, Egypt, featuring ornate domes, arched entrances, intricate stonework, and a large patterned courtyard in the foreground. — Alexandria The mosque of Abū al-ʿAbbās al-Mursī, Alexandria, Egypt.

By the time Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt in 1798, Alexandria had experienced a long period of decline and was a shadow of its former self. Once a thriving metropolis, the city had been reduced to a small Ottoman port with a population of approximately 10,000 inhabitants.12

Several factors contributed to this contraction:
* Loss of Trade: The city’s commercial importance suffered significantly after the Portuguese discovered a sea route to India in 1498, bypassing the traditional spice trade routes through Egypt.1
* Administrative Neglect: Under Ottoman rule, the canal that linked Alexandria to the Rosetta branch of the Nile was allowed to silt up, effectively cutting off the city’s primary commercial lifeline.1
* Disease and Decay: The city had endured centuries of epidemic disease and administrative neglect, causing most traces of its ancient splendor to vanish.2

At the time of the French arrival, Alexandria served primarily as a minor node within Ottoman maritime networks rather than the major urban center it had been in antiquity.2