mahommed bey, the defterdar, with another force of about the same strength, was then sent by muhammad ali against kordofan with like result, but not without a hard-fought engagement. in october 1822, ismail, with his retinue, was burnt to death by nimr, the mek (king) of shendi; and the defterdar, a man infamous for his cruelty, assumed the command of those provinces, and exacted terrible retribution from the inhabitants. khartoum was founded at this time, and in the following years the rule of the egyptians was greatly extended and control of the red sea ports of suakin and massawa obtained.