Egypt Flashcards
(33 cards)
Why was Egypt of interest to Britain in the 1870s (3)
- The Ottoman Empire was in decline and Britain feared Russia France and Austria could capitalise on this
- French influence in the Mediterranean was growing with the colonisation of Algeria in the 1840s and the increasing interest in Tunisia
- The Suez Canal had been completed in 1869
Who really controlled Egypt before 1882
The Ottomans led by the Sultan owned it and Egypt had its own Khedive (like a Governor)
Who was the Khedive from 1863-79 and give 2 facts during his rule showing he brought economic problems
Khedive Ismail - from 1863-1870, debts in Egypt rose from £3 million to £100 million, and by 1876 he went bankrupt
What did Britain and France introduce to bail out Egypt in 1876
Dual Control - both countries oversaw Egypt’s economy after 1876 to help Egypt reduce their debt
The Caisse de la Dette laid out how Egypt would reduce their debt, including the Khedive reducing pay to the army, increasing taxes and reducing interst on foreign debt.
When did Britain and France convince the Ottomans to replace Khedive Ismail and who with
26th June 1879, replaced by Ismail Khedive’s son Tewfik Pasha
What did the dual control and replacement of the Khedive in the 1870s cause a rise in
Egyptian nationalism
Who was Ahmed Urabi and what did he do in 1879
Founder of the Egyptian Nationalist Party (1879) who led Army officers in a protest against Anglo-French interference
After Tewfik Pasha dismissed 2500 army officers in 1879, he led a coup and forced Pasha to appoint him and his party into government. he also took a £400,000 loan out of Rothschilds bank which meant he had power over some British money
What 3 reasons could you argue about the reasons for British involvement in Egypt in 1882 and 3 facts for each
Trade:
- In 1880 80% of Egypt’s exports were to Britain
- Britain supplied 44% of Egypt’s imports
- Egypt was worth 5% of British exports
Financial:
- A £400,000 loan from Rothschilds bank was at risk of not being repaid
- The City of London requested intervention in Egypt to protect investors
- 37% of PM Gladstone’s personal fortune was invested in Egypt
Moral:
- On the 11th June 1882 Britain and France anchored their navies by Alexandria
- In 1882, 20% of the 232,000 residents were European who Britain claimed to protect
- 11th-12th June, riots erupted in Alexandria and 50 Europeans were killed
What was the Gambetta note
A note by Britain and France stating that the Khedive staying in power was the best stability tactic for Egypt and warned nationalist like Urabi that military intervention was possible
How did Urabi respond to the Gambetta note and how did the UK / France respond to that
He ignored the warnings and formed a nationalist cabinet and threatened to depose Tewfik Pasha
The UK held their word and bombarded Alexandria on the 11th July 1882 but the French did nothing, signifying their withdrawal from Egypt entirely
Why did the French withdraw from Egypt
Germany had defeated France in war in 1871 and did not support dual action; France eventually backed off out of fear of being invaded again
When did the British defeat Urabi, where and how many casualties
12th September 1882 at Tel el-Kebir
57 British died and 2000 Egyptians
When was Urabi exiled and where
To Ceylon on the 3rd December 1882
What did PM Gladstone promise when Britain controlled Egypt in 1882 after Urabi’s uprising
That Britain would decrease involvement in Egypt when stability was restored
What 3 reasons did Britain have for staying in Egypt for so long after 1882
- The threat of the Mahdi of Sudan who defeated the British-Egyptian army in November 1883
- A new conservative government who wanted to remain in Egypt
- Evelyn Baring wanting to remain in charge of Egypt
What was the ‘Veiled Protectorate’
The time from 1882-1914 where Britain essentially had full control over Egypt despite it being a de jure autonomous territory of the Ottomans
When did Evelyn Baring take over as Consul-General of Egypt and when did he stop
September 1883 - May 1907
Who was initially in charge of Sudan but left after Khedive Ismail (who appointed him) was deposed
Charles Gordon
Who emerged in 1881 who protested and rebelled against the occupancy of Sudan by the Ottomans
The Mahdi of Sudan
What battle asserted the Mahdi as a threat and give some facts about the death tolls
The Battle of Shaykan (3-5 November 1883)
The Mahdi destroyed a 7000 man British army only leaving 300 alive, killing experienced British commander General Hicks (Indian Mutiny Veteran)
Was Sudan important to the British
No - they needed it to be safe to protect their interests in Egypt though
How did European politics ensure Britain stayed in Egypt
The Conservative Lord Salisbury became PM in 1885, and tried to negotiate withdrawal in Egypt from 1887-1889. However they had the option to re-enter
France and Russia threatened to invade Syria and Armenia respectively if Britain re-entered Egypt which only incentivised Britain to stay in Egypt to prevent the French and Russians having full Mediterranean influence
Describe Baring’s reform (5 things)
- Cut public spending and made Egypt solvent by 1887
- The 1885 London Convention loaned £9 million to Egypt, of which £8 million was spent on reducing debt
- Debt repayment totalled 50% of public spending
- Spent £1 million on irrigation and clearing silt from the Nile floodplain
- 8% of spending on Public Works and on the fellahin (lower class Egyptians)
Give 3 successes and 2 failures of Baring’s reforms
Successes:
- Increased national stability
- Reduced debts
- Increased irrigation and farming
Failures:
- Reduced social mobility by not funding secondary education
- The land tax system was unfairly biased towards wealthy people with lots of land
