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From 1863 to 1879 the Khedive (Viceroy) Ismail was Governor of Egypt, which up to that point had formed part of the Ottoman Empire. Ismail followed a political policy of modernisation at home, while pursuing an aggressive southward expansion outside the Egyptian borders. Between 1865 and 1875 campaigns at Suakim, Massawa and Harar were mounted to bring the coast of the Red Sea under Egyptian control . From 1871 to 1879 the Sudan and Upper Nile region was the focus of military expeditions. In 1875 King John IV of Abyssinia declared war on Egypt, fearing an Egyptian encirclement, and also hoping to foster internal unity in his country, riven as it was by rebellion. John beat the Egyptian troops at Aussa (13 November 1875) and Gura (25 march 1876). An Egyptian attempt to take Guru and Gondar in 1877 failed. Both sides abandoned any further large-scale actions. Egyptian interest in Abyssinia was encouraged by Britain, which had attempted an invasion of the country in 1867-1868, and which was hatching its own imperialist plans. The British were not the only ones casting a covetous eye on the country: France and Italy were also potential colonialists in the Abyssian region. In 1882 Italy grabbed its first colony, in Eritrea. For Riyad Pasha see 'Travels', p. xxxix. |
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