Egypt Flashcards
What event caused increased interest in reaching the spice islands (via Suez Canal?)
When Diaz (famous French explorer) reached the cape of good hope
Why couldn’t napoleon in the 1800s construct the canal?
His engineers believed it wouldn’t work as thought Mediterranean and Red Sea were at different levels
Who was muhammed ali pasha?
Profile
6 points
Viceroy of Egypt 1805-48
- declared himself as viceroy, vanished Turkish people and killed tribal leaders
- wanted to reform Egyptian society (Arabic leader who believed in educating women)
- favourable to European traders as enjoyed western influence
- established factories (cotton, guns)
- promotes growth of cotton on Nile delta
- allowed over land trade tributes (began to open up Africa)
What is a khedive?
Ruler of Egypt
Who was Thomas Waghorn?
What did he do?
4 points
Developed postal route from Britain to India using eastern connections
Had support from Muhammad Ali pasha for land route
1835-37 established foundations for route from Cairo to suez
Unsuccessful and muhammed Ali pasha took the enterprise
Why did Egypt have a historic relationship with the French?
Due to napoleonic invasion of 1798
Muhammed Ali pasha and his successor, Muhammed Sa’id, both used what?
Advisors from powerful European states and relied on French engineers and planners for the Suez Canal
Who did muhammed sa’id grant permission to to build Canal in 1854?
Ferdinand de lesseps
Why did Britain criticise the fact ferdinand was to build the Canal?
Because he was a powerful French man and did not want Canal to be under monopoly of powerful European power
Who built Canal?
Corvee labour force - peasant workers who were press ganged to work
Why did Lib Br pm lord Palmerston claim the work on the Suez Canal was ‘impracticable’ ?
Would be huge disadvantage to British trade as ships would be controlled by French.
Why was Canal important to Britain?
Reduced travel time to and from India
What did Britain prevent Lesseps from securing?
In hope of what?
A bank loan
Hoping it would stop him building the Canal
What did Lesseps do to overcome Britain preventing him from getting a loan?
Sold shares to the French, earning a massive profit
What did Britain say was slave labour?
How did he French counter argue this?
Corvee labour
French said Britain had used slave labour to construct railway in Egypt which opened in 1854
Impact of Canal:
What does it gain?
What was built?
What happened to Egypts debts?
Attracts British investment.
Br offer loans with high interest to help development e.g. Railway built as well as schools roads etc
1863-79 debt rose from 3 mil to 100 mil
1875 debt crisis so bad Isma il pasha requests help
When does Suez Canal open?
When is work finished?
1869
Work totally finished in 1871
When does isma il pasha sell Egypts shares of Canal and why?
1875
Because of debts
Who purchases egypts Suez Canal shares?
What does this mean?
Disraeli
Be now has significant interest in trade routes
Joint shareholders with French
But despite selling shares, later in 1875 Br govt in debt again
British military involvement:
Who takes control of Egypt?
France and Britain
British military involvement:
Who do they force to abdicate? Who is he replaced with?
Isma il pasha abdicates
Tawfiq il pasha installed
What happens in Egypt on June 1882?
British military involvement:
Riots break out again European influence.
French refuse their involvement
Lib Br govt sanction military intervention with little persuasion
In 1877 Evelyn baring is sent to Egypt as what?
British controller of fincances
French responsible for?
Britain responsible for?
Fr - govt expenditure
Br - raising money
