Mehmed Ali Pasha (November 18, 1827[1] – September 7, 1878[2]) was a Prussian-born Ottoman career officer and marshal.

Mehmed Ali was born as Ludwig Karl Friedrich Detroit (also known as Carl Detroy)[3] in Magdeburg, Prussia.

During his teenage years in 1843 he ran away to sea, and traveled to the Ottoman Empire,[4] where he converted to Islam and was circumcised.

He was successful in his operations on the Lom river (August–September 1877), such as at Katselovo and Ablanovo, but was eventually afterward forced back by his opponents.

In August 1878, the Ottoman government selected him to overview the process of the cession of the Plav-Gucia region to Montenegro in compliance to the decisions of the Congress of Berlin.