TRENDEFRARAtlas of the Sultans · Wars, battles and treaties
Siege · 1799
After Napoleon Bonaparte occupied Egypt, the Ottoman government appointed Cezzar Ahmed Pasha, governor of Sidon and Damascus and well acquainted with Egypt, commander for Egypt. According to the TDV, Bonaparte, hard pressed in Egypt, advanced into Syria and resolved to take Acre, the key to the region. In the siege that began with assaults on 19–20 March 1799, Cezzar resisted fiercely with help from the British fleet; a force of the newly formed Nizam-ı Cedid troops was in the fortress, and reinforcements came by sea from Istanbul. Having gained nothing from repeated assaults, Bonaparte was forced to raise the siege and withdraw on 20 May, some time after the relief forces arrived. The success was greeted with great joy in Istanbul.
| Date | 19 March – 20 May 1799 |
|---|---|
| Location | Acre |
| Result | The French siege was repulsed; Bonaparte withdrew |
| Belligerents | Ottoman Empire | French Republic |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders | Cezzar Ahmed Pasha | Napoleon Bonaparte |
Took place during the reign of Selim III (1789–1807). Selim III
Open the reign of Selim III on the mapBy the atlas's calculation the Ottoman lands covered about 4,596,000 km² in 1799; at the start of Selim III's reign they measured 4,596,000 km², at its end 4,551,000 km².
During Selim III (1789–1807) the atlas records 0 regions gained and 1 region lost.
Regions lost: Budjak–Bessarabia (1806).
He launched a thorough programme of reform: a new army, permanent embassies, engineering schools. The programme was overthrown by a Janissary revolt and he himself was killed; yet the Nizam-ı Cedid became the blueprint for Mahmud II's reforms.
Areas are land area computed from the atlas's region data; see Method and sources.
Source: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, “CEZZÂR AHMED PAŞA” (Turkish); text written for the atlas.
Cite as: Atlas of the Sultans, “Siege of Acre (1799): Date, Commanders and Outcome”, https://padisahlaratlasi.com/en/events/siege-of-acre-1799/ (last updated 12 November 2026). Corrections
Terms on this page: Nizam-ı Cedid