Control of Sudan

History: AQA A Level The British Empire, topic 1.1.6

Control into the Sudan 1820–1885

As Britain expanded into Egypt, Sudan too became increasingly under their influence.

Muhammad Ali Pasha's forced took control of the Sudan from 1820–1824.
This established Turkish Sudan (also known as the Turkiyya).
Muhammad Ali enslaved thousands of Sudanese people, initially to fight in his army, and later as agricultural labour.
Turkish Sudan lasted from 1820–1885.

Disraeli sent Colonel Charles Gordon to Sudan as the ‘Governor-General’ of Sudan, which was then ruled as part of Isma'il Pasha's Khedivate.
At this point, the Khedivate was heavily dependent on Britain economically.
Sudan's Muslim population had been subjected to Isma'il's attempts to Westernise Sudan, and were wary of further rule from British figures like Gordon.
Gordon aimed to end the slave trade in Sudan, which caused an economic crisis and angered the slave traders.

Muhammad Ahmed proclaimed himself ‘Mahdi’ (guided one) and proclaimed a jihad (holy war) against all foreign powers.
The Mahdi is a warrior figure in Islamic tradition who is prophesied to appear before the Day of Judgement.
The Khedivate was fighting the Arabi Revolt in Egypt, and so the Mahdist army was able to grow in power relatively unchecked.

In 1883, the Mahdist army defeated British and Egyptian troops at the Battle of Sheikan.
Gladstone’s Anglo-Egyptian counter-attack failed and Colonel William Hicks was killed.

Gladstone ordered the evacuation of British troops from Sudan.
Gordon refused to retreat, instead deciding to defend the city of Khartoum from within