North Africa 1857-1890

Question 1

Key chronology Britain, Egypt and the Sudan

Answer 1

1863 : Khedive Isma’il comes to power in Egypt
1869: Suez Canal opens
1875: Disraeli secures controlling stake in Suez Canal Company
1879: Isma’il deposed, replaced by Tewfiq
1881: Mahdist Revolt begins in Sudan
1882: Arabi Pasha leads rebellion against Tewfiq and British influence
1882: British forces surpress rebellion, British occupation of Egypt begins
1885: British-led forces defeated at Khartoum; Britain withdraws interests in Sudan

Question 2

Why were the British originally interested in Egypt?

Answer 2

• need for cotton during the American Civil War. British mills were starved of good cotton, Egypt’s was of good quality
• British companies began investing in Egyptian cotton and in the modernising programme of ruling Khedive, Isma’il Pasha
• By the 1870s, 40% of Egypt’s imports were coming from Britain

Question 3

Isma’il Pasha (who was he)

Answer 3

• Khedive of Egypt and Sudan from 1863-79
• ‘Isma’il the magnificent’
• Helped to modernise Egypt and Sudan during his reign, investing in industrial and economic development
• His policies left Egypt in severe debt, leading to the sale of Suez shares to Britain (75)

Question 4

What was the Suez Canal/when was it set up?

Answer 4

• The Suez Canal Company set up in 1858, completed in 1869
• Frenchman (Ferdinand de Lesseps) set up the project to construct a canal for international shipping.
• France and Egypt had ownership of shares

Question 5

Why was the Suez Canal important to the British?

Answer 5

• The Panic of 1873: Known as ‘The Great Depression; of its time, British trade plummeted due to goods being transported around Cape of Good Hope and being stored in Warehouses (5000 miles longer than the Suez Canal)
• in 1875: Benjamin Disraeli (British PM) bought Egypt’s shares in the Suez Canal for around £4 mil
• This became of huge importance to British because it gave them a passage to India and an income from shipping tariffs.

Question 6

How did the purchase of the Suez Canal shares aid establishment of British control in Egypt?

Answer 6

Sparked further interest and led to need for British interest in the region

Question 7

How did the British establish influence in Egypt?

Answer 7

Because of Egypts failing economy
- 1879: Isma’il Pasha was deposed due to economic mismanagement and his son, Tewfiq became new Khedive
- British money and resources kept Egypt afloat and British Commissioner, Lord Dufferin, gained considerable influence in Egypt
- To keep Egypt’s economy afloat, taxes were imposed on Egyptian foods and goods, army reduced by 2/3rds (increased unemployment)

Question 8

What were the consequences of increased British influence and control in Egypt?

Answer 8

• Nationalist rebellions under Arabi Pasha were conducted in 1882 : British concerns grew due to the 100,000 Europeans living in Egypt and over the security of the Suez Canal
• June 1882, in Alexandria, rebellions led to 50 Europeans killed, William Gladstone (PM) had to invade Egypt with British naval troops
• Arabi forces defeated some British troops heading to Cairo at Kafr el-Dawwar, but British Commander in Chief, Sir Garnet Wolseley, had secured the Suez Canal.

Question 9

Result of securing the Suez Canal?

Answer 9

• Enabled the British to take control of Cairo and establish control of Egypt
• installed Tewfiq as ‘puppet ruler’ and soon Evelyn Baring was installed as Consul-General
• Egypt had been described as a veiled protectorate and was annexed in 1885

Question 10

How did the British come to control Sudan? (summary:control/opposition)

Answer 10

• British administrator Charles Gordon who was sent to Egypt to act as Governor General of Egyptian administered Sudan between 1877 and 1880 faced opposition
• The British intervened but were defeated and did not establish clear control over Sudan until 1896.
• British administrators faced opposition from Sudanese Islamic cleric Muhammad Ahmad, who proclaimed himself ‘the saviour of mankind’ in 1881.

Question 11

Mahdist revolt

Answer 11

• Drew on long-term hostility towards Egyptian rule, combined with recent resentment on British Influence
• In 1882, Mahdists took control over the area surrounding Khartoum
• In 1883, joint military expedition between the British Egyptians under the command of Colonel William Hicks was killed.
• Gladstone, reluctant to get into further conflict, ordered General Gordon to oversee the evacuation of British and Egyptian troops from Khartoum in 1884, however was overrun in 1885 with virtually the entire garrison killed and General Gordon beheaded