1 60 THE STORY OF THE KHEDIVATE.

in Turkey or Egypt, or even in Africa, he could brook no rival near his throne; (and I take it therefore for I granted that a certain solid advantage attached, at I any rate, in his own opinion, to the distinction between \ his being officially described as a Khedive instead of as a Viceroy. Great difficulty was experienced in discovering any title which would differentiate the ruler of Egypt from the Pashas of other provinces of the Ottoman Empire, and yet would not impair in any way the authority of the Sultan as the Suzerain of Egypt] The first title suggested by Ismail was that of El Aziz, one of the many names of Allah, signifying the all-powerful, a name which, according to tradition, had been borne by Joseph when he was the Vakil, or chief steward of Pharaoh.

This suggestion was negatived by the Porte, on the ground that this was the title of a holy prophet, for so Joseph is accounted to the present day in the East, and could not therefore be assigned to an earthly potentate, however wealthy or powerful he might be.

It was also urged that the name of the ruling Sultan was Abd el Aziz, the slave of Allah the Almighty ; and that the conferring of the title of El Aziz upon the Viceroy might create some confusion amongst the followers of Islam as to the relative positions of the Suzerain and his vassal. iFinally, after many other titles had been discussed, that of Khedive was proposed by the Porte and accepted by Ismail. Khedive is a Persian adjective, derived from Kniyk, a Persian name for God, and means Godly, or Divine. Kl§Jiv,