however, muhammad ali seized control of egypt, declaring himself ruler of egypt and quickly consolidating an independent local powerbase. after repeated failed attempts to remove and kill him, in 1805, the porte officially recognised muhammad ali as wāli of egypt. demonstrating his grander ambitions, muhammad ali pasha claimed for himself the higher title of khedive (viceroy), ruling the self-proclaimed (but not recognised) khedivate of egypt. he murdered the remaining mamluk beys in 1811, solidifying his own control of egypt. he is regarded as the founder of modern egypt because of the dramatic reforms he instituted in the military, agricultural, economic and cultural spheres.