EGYPT

Egypt

Egypt

Pre-Arab Egypt

Egypt's relative isolation, with the majority of the population living in the Nile Valley and the Nile Delta, with desert on either side, has produced a high degree of cultural individuality. Pharaonic Egypt lasted from the end of the fourth millennium BC until conquest by the Assyrians in 671 BC. The building of the pyramids and other works in the third millennium BC indicate a powerful monarchy commanding great resources. After the rule of Rameses II (c. 1300-1234 BC), Egypt entered a decline, but following the Assyrian conquest in 671 BC native rule was soon restored, lasting until 525 BC, when Persia conquered Egypt. On the death of Cleopatra in 30 BC Egypt passed under Roman rule and became a province of a great Mediterranean empire. Christianity was introduced, and the Coptic church of Egypt clung to its Monophysite beliefs in the face of Byzantine opposition.

The Coming of the Arabs

Except for a brief Sasanian (Persian) invasion in ad 616, Egypt remained under Byzantine rule until, with the birth and advance of Islam in the seventh century ad, the Arab army under 'Amr ibn al-As invaded Egypt from Syria. The conquest was virtually complete by 641, but for some centuries Egypt remained an occupied rather than a Muslim country. (Jankowski 2000)

Ottoman Egypt: 1517-1798

By the beginning of the 16th century the Ottoman Turks had made dramatic advances. In 1517, Egypt became a province of the Ottoman Empire, but the Turks usually interfered little with the Egyptian administration.

At the end of the 18th century Egypt became a pawn in the war between France and Britain. Napoleon wanted to disrupt British commerce and eventually overthrow British rule in India. On 28 February 1922, Britain unilaterally abolished the protectorate and recognized Egypt as an independent sovereign state. Britain, however, maintained its control over the security of the Suez Canal and the defense of Egypt. In March 1922 Fouad took the title of King of Egypt. (El-Daly, 2005)

Independence

The years between independence and the Second World War brought a triangular struggle between the King, the Wafd and the British Government. The Wafd wanted a revolution, but the King owed his throne to the British. Elections usually gave the Wafd a majority, but a Wafd ministry was unacceptable to King Fouad, who normally had the concurrence of the British Government.

The Revolution: 1952-56

On 23 July 1952 a group of young army officers, the 'Free Officers', who had long been planning a coup d'état, seized power in Cairo. They invited the veteran politician Ali Maher to form a government under their control, and secured the abdication of King Farouk in favor of his infant son, Ahmad Fuad II, on 26 July. The revolution soon gained momentum. On 10 December 1952 the Constitution was abolished, and on 16 January 1953 all political parties were dissolved. It was announced that there would be a three-year transitional period before representative government was restored. (Bowman 2006)

Domestic Troubles

Although Nasser obtained over 99% of the votes cast in the presidential referendum in March 1965, there were subsequently ...