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The history of modern Egypt is marked by Egyptian attempts to achieve political independence, first from the Ottoman Empire and then from the British. In the first half of the nineteenth century, Muhammad Ali, an Albanian and the Ottoman viceroy, attempted to create an Egyptian empire that extended to Syria and to remove the country from Turkish control. Ultimately, he was unsuccessful, and true independence from foreign powers would not be achieved until midway through the next centur



Mohammad Ali,
"Father of Modern Egypt"
Foreign, including British, investment in Egypt and Britain's need to maintain control over the Suez Canal resulted in the British occupation in 1882. Although the country was granted nominal independence in 1922, Britain remained the real power.
Genuine political independence was finally achieved between the 1952 Revolution and the 1956 War. In 1952 the Free Officers, led by Lieutenant Colonel Gamal Abdul Nasser, took control of the government and removed King Faruk from power. In 1956 Nasser, as Egyptian president, announced the nationalization of the Suez Canal, an action that resulted in the tripartite invasion by Britain, France, and Israel.


Gamal Abdel Nasser,
leader of the Free Officers
Ultimately, however, Egypt prevailed, and the last British troops were withdrawn from the country by the end of the year.
No history of modern Egypt would be complete without mentioning the Arab-Israeli conflict, which has cost Egypt so much in lives, territory, and property. Armed conflict between Egypt and Israel ended in 1979 when the two countries signed the Camp David Accords.


Sadat, Carter and Begin
sign the Camp David Accords
The accords, however, constituted a separate peace between Egypt and Israel and did not lead to a comprehensive settlement that would have satisfied Palestinian demands for a homeland or brought about peace between Israel and its Arab neighbours. Thus, Egypt remained embroiled in the conflict on the diplomatic level and continued to press for an international conference to achieve a comprehensive agreement.

[محمودممدوح]