Egypt, the Suez Canal & Sudan Flashcards
Why was Britain interested in Egypt?
They believed Egypt had the opportunity for trade and wanted to keep it from other European powers by making it a part of the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire.
Textile manufacturers were also interested in Egyptian cotton following the Civil War in America.
Why was the Suez Canal so important?
It provided a quicker route to India. Heavy British investment went into Egypt as a result of this.
What happened between Britain and Egypt in the 1860s?
- 1861-65 - interest revived in Egypt as a result of the US civil war and British demand for cotton.
- 1863 - Khedive Isma’il Pasha comes to power in Egypt
- 1869 - the Suez Canal opens
What was Khedive Isma’il’s ideology?
He was committed to modernising Egypt, as initiated by the Ottomans in the early 1800s. As a result of this, he spent heavily.
What happened between Britain and Egypt in the 1870s-80s?
- 1875 - Isma’il forced to sell his Suez shares to British prime minister Disraeli to pay his debt spent modernising Egypt
- 1879 - Isma’il deposed and replaced by unpopular leader Tewfiq
- 1882 - Colonel Arabi Pasha leads rebellion against Tewfiq and the British influence due to Nationalist unrest.
- 1882 - British forces suppress Pasha’s rebellion and their occupation of Egypt begins
What was the Convention of London?
An international loan given to Egypt by Britain in 1985 which placed Egypt under firm administrative control. This was known as a “veiled protectorate”.
What was the British goal in Egypt?
Britain intended to “rescue” Egypt from disorder and the throne from a Nationalist movement. However, there was no real general agreement reached or a clear long term policy.
What was the role of individuals such as Sir Evelyn Baring?
They were powerful figures in persuading successive Imperialist governments to reform Egyptian finance and other major institutions.
Why did the British feel obliged to expand into Africa?
The expansion into Africa was not out of planned policy but out of economic necessity. Stability in the Eastern Mediterranean was essential for British interest and many saw this as the turning point of European attitudes in Africa.
Who was Charles Gordon?
A colonel sent from Britain to govern Egyptian-administered Sudan from 1877-1880.
Who opposed the British in Sudan?
Islamic cleric Muhammad Ahmed who proclaimed he was the “Mahdi” - the saviour of the people.
What did the Mahdi do?
He transformed an emerging political movement into a “Jhadist army” which sought to liberate Sudan from foreign rule. By 1882, they controlled the entire area surrounding Khartoum.
How did the British respond to the Mahdi?
In 1883, a counter attack was launched by colonel William Hicks, in which he was killed.
PM Gladstone ordered the evacuation of British and Egyptian troops in 1884. By January 1885, the forces defending Khartoum had been overrun. General Gordon was beheaded and Gladstone was reluctant to retaliate.
The British did not launch another campaign in Sudan until 1986.
Why did British policy change in North Africa?
- Egyptian nationalism would have freed Egypt from Turkish control, allowing them to form alliances with other European powers.
- There was significant financial investment in Egypt. Trade was vital, as was protecting revenue of trade routes to India.
- The Suez Canal was the easiest route to India. Protecting trade routes was strategically vital.
Why were Britain growing increasingly concerned by their rivals in the 1880s?
- Germany became a unified country in 1871 and became a new European powerhouse
- France transformed their army and were determined, having been beaten by Germany in 1871
- By 1884, the Russian empire had expanded into Afghanistan, which posed a potential threat to the British in India
- France and Russia had expanded their navies
