In September 1817, Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt launched a campaign into the interior of Arabia in the hope of subduing the Emirate of Diriyah.

The campaign was largely successful, capturing the major forts of Shaqra and Dhurma, and now Ibrahim was left with Diriyah, the capital of the emirate.

[2] Ibrahim began arranging his forces and preparing the cannons; he was assisted by the French general, M. Vaissière, who helped him draw the walls of the city.

[7] The northern section of the walls, about a month after the siege, was where the Saudis were defeated and moved away from their barricades because some people from the city went out to Ibrahim Pasha and told him of the weakness in the fort.

The fire spread to the storage and blew it up, wiping out half of the Ottoman's powder and ammunition, which caused panic in the camp.

Ibrahim was then forced to ask for reinforcements from Ottoman bases that were conquered by the enemy, such as Shaqraa, Unaizah, Mecca, and Medina.

However, the Saudis launched a sortie that repulsed the Ottomans, but Ibrahim again charged, and a fierce battle ensued from morning till noon in which both sides suffered heavy losses.

Abdullah knew he wouldn't last long after he suffered heavy losses and supplies began to wane, so he asked for surrender on September 9.

[19] Muhammad Ali broke the treaty between Ibrahim and Abdullah and ordered the city to be destroyed with its walls and houses and burned to the ground.

[21] When the spectacle was over Abdullah was beheaded, after the execution his head was crushed with a mortar and his body was suspended on a post with a dagger plunged into it for all to see.