The Myth of the Traitor: "the Christian Antun" and His Role in Organizing the French Invasion of Egypt in 1798

The presented article is based on a little-known text of the Ottoman chronicler 'Izzet Efendi alDarandali. The court chronicler of the Grand Vizier presents a conspiracy version of the events of the Great French Revolution and the origins of the Egyptian expedition of Napoleon Bonaparte, the main role in which belonged to a certain "Christian Antun" who fled from Egypt. Behind the archetypal image of the traitorous Copt lies not only a classic myth of traitor and betrayal but also a historical figure of the main tax collector of Egyptian customs Antun Cassis, who emigrated to Europe a few years before the overthrow of the French monarchy. The text allows a deeper understanding of the way of thinking of the elite of Ottoman society, the perception of the Turkish Ulema elite of the image of "others" and "strangers", as well as the events that took place in Europe at that time. The story of 'Izzet Efendi al-Darandali appears to be a strange mixture of traditional ideas of the Ottoman-Muslim society trying to adapt to the new realities of the reign of Sultan Selim III (1789-1807).