Egypt Consolidation and Reform 1890-1914

Question 1

What was Egypt being ran as?

Answer 1

A veiled protectorate

Question 2

What were the three main hinderances to British rule in Egypt at this time?

Answer 2

-the Capitulations
-The Caisse de la Dette
-The Mixed Courts

Question 3

What were the Capitulations?

Answer 3

Laws put in place by the Ottoman Empire and covered all foreigners in Egypt. Granted to protect Europeans from Muslim laws against Christians. (Foreigner accused of a crime could claim the right to be tried in their own country)

Question 4

What was the Caisse de la Dette?

Answer 4

A group of European power that included Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Russia, Italy and Britain, who controlled Egypt’s finances.

Question 5

What would the Caisse de la dette do?

Answer 5

They would prevent the British consul-general from spending Egypt’s money on matters they didn’t approve of

Question 6

What were the Mixed Courts?

Answer 6

They were set up to deal with cases involving Europeans and Egyptians. Presided over by judges unfavourable by British

Question 7

When did french interest in Egypt end?

Answer 7

After the 1898 Fashoda incident in Sudan, causing Britain and France to grow closer together

Question 8

What did Britain and France sign in 1904?

Answer 8

An Entente Cordiale (Friendly agreement) in which the french agreed to respect Britains rights in Egpyt, in return for recognition of french take over of morocco.

Question 9

Was the egyptian parliament democratic?

Answer 9

It had a partially elected parliament though all Egyptain government ministers had the “support” of a british adviser.

Question 10

What statistics show increase in Britons working in government in Egypt?

Answer 10

In 1885, there were only about 100, By 1905 there were over 1,000

Question 11

What did Evelyn Baring do in order to balance Egypts accounts (Ismail £70m debt)?

Answer 11

Made several cutbacks to Egypt’s military and government, as well as investing in irrigation schemes carried out by British Engineers

Question 12

What were the results of Evelyn Barings changes after 10 years?

Answer 12

-Exports of cotton and sugar had trebled
-Population risen from 7 million to 10 million

Question 13

What happened under the direction of Sir John Aird?

Answer 13

A wall, 18 metres high and a quarter of a mile long was built at Aswan to hold back the River Nile

Question 14

What did it take to make the Aswan Dam?

Answer 14

6 years and £2 million, funded largely by friends of Baring

Question 15

When was the Aswan Dam opened?

Answer 15

1902, enabling half a million acres of former desert to be irrigated with water, enabling year-round cultivation

Question 16

What happened to tourism in Egypt?

Answer 16

Baring oversaw the rapid expansion of modern tourism, to the extent that Thomas Cook & Son became Egypt’s largest single employer.

Question 17

What did Baring do to the Egyptian army?

Answer 17

Placed 6,000 British troops within it, to ensure british interest weren’t jeopardised by the military

Question 18

Who was placed under control of the new Egyptian army? when?

Answer 18

General Kitchener from 1896

Question 19

What had Baring learned from India?

Answer 19

To be wary of extending too many opportunities to the Egyptians, he saw the effects of raised expectations

Question 20

When was the first proper university founded to teach modern subjects and train men for professions?

Answer 20

1909

Question 21

What were the universities before 1909 teaching?

Answer 21

Only religious education

Question 22

What nationalist movement occured in Egypt late 1890s?

Answer 22

A middle-class nationalist movement fuelled by newspapers, that attacked the British for failling to deal with the corruption of the Khedive’s government, and for not helping the poor

Question 23

What was al-Hizb al-Watani?

Answer 23

A nationalist group that first formed in 1881 but was revived in 1893, attracting egyptian lawyers and professionals, aiming to end British occupation.

Question 24

How did Baring respond to nationalist demands?

Answer 24

He mostly ignored them but did appoint a nationalist - Saad Zaghluls Pasha, as Minister for Education

Question 25

What happened in 1906?

Answer 25

A clash between British officers and Egyptian villagers at Denshawai

Question 26

What happened in the Denshawai incident?

Answer 26

The officers angered villagers by pigeon-shooting pigeons that were bred for food. In the confusion a British gun went off and wounded the wife of a Muslim prayer leader. The Egyptians charged them, and as fleeing one of the Officers fell and died. His colleagues captured and killed a wrongly accused villager

Question 27

What happened after the Denshawai incident?

Answer 27

52 villagers were arrested four convicted of murder and sentenced to death. One given a lige sentence of penal servitude and a further 26 given various sentences (An egyptian policeman received 2 years imprisonment and 50 lashes)