11. BERTHIER (Louis-Alexandre). Piece signed by... Lot 11

11. BERTHIER (Louis-Alexandre). Piece signed by the general and future marshal, as chief of the general staff of the army of the East, entitled "Sauve-garde". Cairo, 13 fructidor year VI [30 August 1798]. 3/4 p. in-folio, header printed with his name, rank and functions, with woodcut vignette with the effigy of the French Republic, red wax seal of the general staff, handwritten note in Arabic letters on the reverse, framed under glass. "The general in chief [Napoleon Bonaparte] orders that Beste Krafise [?], wife of ALI-KACHEF, not be disturbed in the habitation of her house and that she be maintained with security and protection in the possession of her goods which she has bought back for the sum of three cens talaris...". This is probably the wife of ALI, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT KACHEFS (DISTRICT CHIEFS) IN THE SERVICE OF MAMELOUK MOURAD-BEY, BONAPARTE'S ENEMY. His house in Fayoum would soon be occupied by the French who would turn it into a military hospital. Provenance: collection of the Earls of Crawford and Balcarres, Alexander William and James Ludovic Lindsay (armorial bookplate stamped Bibliotheca Lindesiana).