The Nile Valley - 1882 - 98 Flashcards
What is a khedive ?
A ruling leader in Egypt and Sudan
What was the British Fear in the looming collapse of the Ottoman empire?
That other empires such as Russia, France + Austo-Hungary would take the land and gain more power
Two reasons why Britian and France chose a military response to Egypt ?
1) Couldn’t allow Egypt nationalists to take control as it was too strategically and economically important
2) ‘Morally neccessary’ to prevent loss of life following Anti-Christian riots
What % of British shipping did the Suez Canal opening allow to pass through ?
Very important;
80% of shipping carried was British
What % of shares did Disreali purchase of the Canal and when ?
45% in 1875
- Disreali didn’t want France becomming too powerful
By ? did Britian purchase 80% of Egyptian exports ?
by 1880
By 1880, what % of Egypt’s imports did Britian supply?
44%
The Khedive goes banjrupt in 1875 - What % of Gladstone’s wealth was in failing Egyptian bonds/debt?
37%
When does the British invasion begin?
11th July 1882
When do British forces capture Cairo?
15th September 1882
Why did France withdraw from military action in Egypt ?
Blackmail by Germany
- A change in president in France
- Refusal to back British power
What was the ‘veiled Protectorate’ ?
name given to the years betweeen 1882 - 1914, when London effectively controlled Egypt with no real legal basis
Work was done to remove Britian but it never progressed
How many times did the British gov state its intention to leave Egypt ?
66
3 reasons why the British stayed so long
1) Emergence of a radical jihadist movement in the Sudan, led by the mahdi in Sudan, Muhammad Ahmad
2) The Collapse of the Liberal Party and dominance of the Tory Party under Lord Salisbury at the end of the 19c
3) The role and ambitions of Sir Evelyn Baring, the British Consul General in Egypt from 1883-1907 (24 years!) - later Lord Grome
Example of the emerging islamic threat in Sudan ?
Mahdist have successful victories against the Egyptian - Most significant win was the the wiping out of all but 300 out of 7000 troops under command of Sir William Hicks in 1883
What splits the Liberal party and leads to Conservative dominance from 1893-1906 ?
Gladstone’s controversial support of Home Rule in ireland
Who was the Conservative leder that concluded France were the greatest threat to the Empire?
Lord Salisbury
What was Lord Baring’s other name and what was he a perfect repsentation of ?
Gromer
a “Victorian Imperialist”
What were “fellahin”
peasant farmers
What % of govt revenue was focused on agriculture under Baring ?
8%
List two achievemnets of Baring’s reforms?
Baring restored the government of Egypt to Solvency by 1887
Reaming 1m on Irrigation and clearing drainage canals of the Nile
What inevtiably holds off agricultural development ?
Baring putting off sorting out inequality tax paid on peasant land compared to landowner land which was cheaper
What was a Kharaj ?
land held by peasants - tax was higher
What two factors can be said to be the cause in the weakness of Baring’s reforms?
Budgetary constraints
Inevitable results of the Baring mind-set
Why did Gladstone chose General Gordon for the mission even though he had doubts ?
- he had previosuly worked with Egyptain garrisons
- Spoke Arabic
Wha does Gordon do in reaction to Baring refusng him more troops ?
leak information to the media in London
Wha does Gordon do in reaction to Baring refusng him more troops ?
leak information to the media in London
What fatal mistake means Britian lose Sudan?
Baring’s troops come two days late - Gordon dies as a Matrye
- Brtian now have to “avenge” him
What three threats mean Britian have ‘justiiable’ right to invade Sudan ?
Perceived French Threat: stop potential intrigues to destabilize Egypt and India
Islamic Threat: Defeat of Italians at Battle of Adwa in 1896 - Fear of potential threat against British interests
Partition of Africa gaining pace + need to turn ‘influence’ into possessions
Why were French Interests in Africa such a threat ?
They want to link their colonies as well, however it will cross the British trying to link their colonies
What was the Fashoda incident? and when?
Kitchner’s army confronts Marchand’s small French force, which eventually backs down. Having taken direction from the French government in Paris
1898
How successful was Kitchner?
- Extremely - won back all of Sudan
- Hugely popular, WW1 Secretary of War
- Wants to cut of Mahdis head
- Uses Concentration Camps in Boaer War - outrages anti-imperialists
What was so effective at the battle of Omdurman in Sept 1898 ?
The Maxim gun
What were the numbers of the Battle of Omdurman ?
Mahdist forces;
10k dead, 5k wounded, 13k prisoner
British;
47 dead, 382 wounded
In what book did Churchill express his unhappiness with Kitchner’s atrocisites at Omdurman ?
“The River Way” - 1899
what % of total Br expoerts went to egypt?
5%
What is a good example of vested interests in Egypt?
Gladstones 37% of personal fortune in Egyptian loans
Why is altrusim NOT a feasable reason for Br interferring in Egypt
The anti-Christina riots were 11th June 1882
Br ships set sail for Egypt on the 20th may 1882
Significant impact of Baring’s success?
Achieved solvency by 1887
What two Baring policies angered Egyptians
Refused to Fund Secondary Education
Raised ution funds in Primary schools as he didn’t beleive that Egyptians should learn
What were key Br fears of nationalism?
That the Mahdists would capitalise on this Resentment and mergewith Egyptian unhappined
What battle showed power of Mahdist forces?
Defeat of Itlaians at Adwa, 1896
