Reasons for British intervention in Egypt Flashcards
What empire held Egypt since the 16th century?
How strong was the Empire by the 1880s?
Why did this worry Britain?
What opened up in 1869 adding to this problem?
Due to the freedom given to Khedives from this Empire what did they use British/ French finance for?
What was the financial situation of the Khedives by 1876?
In response what system did France and Britain introduce in Egypt which acted similar to modern day IMF?
With this what did France & Britain force the Khedive Ismail to do?
What was reduced inturn?
Who were Britain and France represented by?
What happened to the Khedive in 1879?
-The Ottoman Empire had held Egypt since the sixteenth century.
-It was in decline by the 1880s.
-This worried Britain as it feared that rival powers would gain territory and control from the Mediterranean if it collapsed.
-The problem became more important after the Suez Canal opened in 1869.
-Khedives used British and French finance for the modernisation of Egypt.
-The Khedive was effectively bankrupt by 1876.
-Britain and France stabilised the system of Dual control and acted like the modern day IMF.
-They forced the khedive Ismail to begin financial reforms such as cutting army pay and increasing taxes.
-With this the interest the Egyptians paid to service was also reduced.
-Britain and France were represented by Controller Generals.
-The khedive was replaced in 1879 by the Ottoman sultan who had been persuaded by Britain to install Ismail’s son Tewfik.
Who was Arabi Pasha?
Who and what did he lead a protest against?
What were the Egyptian Bourgeoisie frustrated with?
Although Pasha initially focused on the issues regarding army pay what did he eventually expand this into? (‘Egypt for…)
Who did Arabi Pasha mostly have support from?
What year did Arabi lead a coup?What did he force Tewfik to do?
What did the new ministry appointed reject?
Why did this worry France and Britain?
-Colonel Ahmad Arabi was a nationalist officer in the Egyptian army.
-He led a protest against Tewfik Pasha the newly British installed Khedive. He also protested against Dual Control.
-The Egyptian bourgeoisie was dissatisfied with the financial changes.
-Arabi’s campaign focused on army pay but soon widened to nationalism, speaking of ‘Egypt for the Egyptians’.
-He mostly had support from the army and from fellahin peasants.
-Arabi led a coup in 1879 and forced Tewfik to appoint a nationalist ministry.
-The new ministry rejected army dismissals and pay cuts and borrowed money to avoid them.
-France and Britain were worried that the ministry would force Tewfik to repudiate the loans and ignore Dual Control.
Between 1863-70 what had Egyptian debt to Britain/France increased to?
How much money did the Egyptian gov’t have to borrow from foreign investors to pay for the Suez Canal?
How was bankruptcy initially avoided?
Did this avoid bankruptcy completely?
Which influential figures in England pushed the need for the governing of Egypt following this? (Gladstone?)
-Debt had increased from £3 million to 100 million.
-The Egyptian government had to borrow £12.5 million to pay for Suez from foreign governments.
-Bankruptcy was initially avoided in 1875 by the sale of the Egyptian government’s share in the Suez Canal to the British government for JUST £4 million.
-NO. Bankruptcy still happened.
-Egypt was to be governed for the benefit of bondholders (buyers of Egyptian debt) such as William Gladstone.
Why had the Suez Canal been extremerly important for Britain to manage?
What % of ships travelling through the canal were British?
What year did Disraeli by the Khedive’s shares?
Although Britain had worked with France to ensure the protection of investment, what were they not prepared to allow the French to do?
In regards to trade what type of market had Egypt been for the British? What did this lead them into?
What % of Egyptian export did Britain purchase? What % of imports did it supply?
What war meant Britain had relied on Egyptian cotton?
-The trade route to India through the Suez Canal was of huge importance to Britain.
-80% of the ships travelling through the canal were British.
-Disraeli had bought the khedive’s shares in 1875.
-Britain worked together with France to secure the protection of investments but was not prepared to let France get ahead in the colonial struggle for North Africa.
-Egypt had been an export market for Britain as the khedives modernised the country (this is how they got into debts).
-Britain purchased 80% of Egypt’s exports and supplied 44% of its imports.
-Britain had relied on Egyptian cotton during the American Civil war to make up for the loss of the American South.
What were British bondholders in London heavily exposed to regarding debt?
What group were those in commerce (In London)concerned with about interfering with their debt repayments?
What % of personal wealth did PM Gladstone have in Egyptian loans?
Who did Britain blame incorrectly for the anti-Christian riots outside of Alexandria?
How many Europeans were killed?
What would Britain use this to claim?
-British bond holders in the City of London were heavily exposed to any default in debt by Egypt.
-The government was responsive to the demands from the city that nationalists should not threaten Egyptian debt repayments.
-PM Gladstone had 37% of his personal wealth locked up in Egyptian loans.
-Britain blamed (incorrectly) the riots on Arabi and his supporters.
-50 Europeans were killed.
-Britain used to claim intervention is necessary to protect Europeans.
What did France acquire in 1830 & 1881 which posed a threat to British regional dominance in North Africa?
