The Nile valley, 1882-98 Flashcards
Egypt under Ottoman Control since…
1517
The Ottoman Empire was also known as…
“the sick man of Europe”
Why was the Ottoman Empire known as “the sick man of Europe”?
Ottoman Empire deteriorating
Why is the fact that the Ottoman Empire was deteriorating significant?
It leaves room for other foreign powers to assert their influence in the area, such as France and Britain
The Nile was the source of…
Egypt’s wealth (it is vital to agriculture, trade and business)
When was the Suez Canal built?
1869
Why does Britain have a financial stake in Egypt?
PM Disraeli purchased 44% shares of Suez Canal in 1875
PM Disraeli Suez Canal strategic quote
“The highway to our Indian empire”
What is the Suez Canal vital for?
- trade
- shipping
- geopolitical advantage (over other foreign powers)
Suez Canal:
__% of passing cargo on British ships
80
Ottoman Empire was fading away which left a…
Power vacuum
The French are the main _____________
shareholders
Financial reasons for intervention in Egypt
Egypt bankrupt 1876 with debts of over 100 million
Bond holders vulnerable
37% Gladstone personal fortune invested in Egyptian loans - vested interests (a view taken by revisionist historians)
5% of total British exports to Egypt
Vested interests
A personal reason for involvement in an undertaking or situation (usually financial in nature)
Altruistic reasons for intervention in Egypt
Alexandria 1/5 European
11th June 1882 - tensions escalated into anti-christian riots
50 Europeans killed, 250 Egyptians killed
When did the British set sail for Alexandria?
20th May 1882
What was the public reason for British intervention?
Altruistic reasons were the pretense that the British used in order to justify their intervention
Why was Arabi Pasha mad?
The dual control that the British and the French set up in 1878 where they shared financial control of the area providing loans to the khedive but with stringent conditions (including economic reforms, salary cuts and imposition of taxes)
What was Arabi Pasha part of?
A nationalist cabinet with him at its core filled with his supporters
Arabi Pasha quote
Egypt for Egyptians
What did Arabi Pasha become in Jan 1882?
The minister of War (shows his growing influence and shows that he is more of a threat as he is holding more dominance over the khedive)
“Gambetta Note” Jan 1882
A warning that the Khedive’s authority should be preserved - a prelude to military intervention (a warning)
Long-term factors for the invasion of Egypt
- Strategic importance
- Financial interests
- Trade
Short-term factors for the invasion of Egypt
- Riots in Alexandria
- Arabi Pasha and nationalism
Broken promises of leaving __ times in __ years
66
32
The British had dominance in…
the administration of Egypt
The character of Sir Evelyn Baring
Paternalistic
Patriotic
Imperialist (“classical example of a late Victorian imperialist”)
Self-assured
How did Sir Evelyn Baring view native Egyptians?
Inferior
The aims of Sir Evelyn Baring
- fundamental changes in agricultural infrastructure
- reform administrative system and implement financial controls
- secure British financial footing for British interests
Baring focused on agriculture - what shows this?
8% government revenue on agriculture
Spent £1 million on irrigation
The successes of Baring were highly limited by…
funding problems - Baring had to deal with the financial instability in Egypt which meant that more money went towards debt than funding his agricultural reform
(50% of tax revenue spent on debt repayments)
When did Baring achieve solvency?
1887
Baring believed that if Egyptians developed too much intellectually, this would destabilise society - in what reforms is this prevalent?
Refused to fund secondary education
Raised tuition fees in primary schools
The Egyptian peasant class is known as…
Fellahin, singular Fellah
Why were the Fellahin upset with Baring’s reforms?
Limits to class mobility
Higher tax burden than large landowners
(he alienated the peasant classes which led to rising nationalist sentiment)
