From 1839 to 1841 Dumas, with the assistance of several friends, compiled "Celebrated Crimes", an eight-volume collection of essays on famous criminals and crimes from European history. "Ali Pasha" is the seventh volume of the "Celebrated Crimes." In this book, Dumas portrays the enigmatic Albanian Pasha of Ioannina, who from being a thieve became one of the strongest enemies of the Ottoman Empire and planned to declare an Independent Albania. Considered as a treacherous, intelligent diplomat and a warrior, who kept diplomatic allies with British and Napoleon, Ali Pasha was also named as the Lion of Ioannina. Few men have understood themselves better or been on better terms with the orbit of their existence than Ali Pacha, and as the personality of an individual is all the more striking, in proportion as it reflects the manners and ideas of the time and country in which he has lived, so the figure of Ali Pacha stands out, if not one of the most brilliant, at least one of the most singular in contemporary history.