TRENDEAtlas of the Sultans · Wars, battles and treaties
Event · 1882
The British conquest of Egypt, also known as the 2nd Anglo-Egyptian War, occurred in 1882 between mostly Egyptian and Sudanese forces under Ahmed ‘Urabi and the United Kingdom. Egypt was a country under growing foreign influence from global powers during the 19th century. In the early 1880s, the situation became explosive following the revolt of an army officer, Ahmed 'Urabi, against Tewfik Pasha, alongside the growth of anarchist numbers in the country. The British intervened with the support of other colonial powers to colonise Egypt and succeeded in crushing the Egyptian-Sudanese forces. The anarchists who attempted to join the revolt were cut off from the insurgent troops and were unable to do so.
| Date | July–September 1882 |
|---|---|
| Location | Egypt, Ottoman Empire |
| Result | British victory · British occupation of Egypt |
| Belligerents | Khedivalist forces United Kingdom India | ‘Urabilist forces Sudan |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders | Tewfik Pasha Garnet Wolseley Beauchamp Seymour | Ahmed ‘Urabi Mahmoud Fehmy Mahmoud el-Baroudi |
| Strength | 40,560 regulars | 11,300 regulars 50,000 reservists and irregular troops |
| Casualties | 80–90 killed 600+ wounded | 2,000–4,000 killed or wounded (British estimates) |
Prime Minister Gladstone initially sought to put ‘Urabi on trial and execute him, portraying him as "a self-seeking tyrant whose oppression of the Egyptian people still left him enough time, in his capacity as a latter-day Saladin, to massacre Christians." After glancing through his captured diaries and various other evidence, there was little with which to "demonize" ‘Urabi in a public trial. His charges were downgraded, after which he admitted to rebellion and was sent into exile. The revolt had a grim outcome for the anarchist movement in Egypt, the repression targeting them was accelerated by the British, and many were forced into exile.
Took place during the reign of Abdulhamid II (1876–1909). Abdulhamid II
Open the reign of Abdulhamid II on the mapText: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), adapted for the atlas.