arabic leading religious political figures colonial era anglo egyptian continued exert great authority leader independent british tried exploit influence people time profoundly motives colonial era anglo egyptian british saw important moderate leader british support ambition king country gained independence posthumous son proclaimed islamic faith died months forces captured joint british egyptian force recaptured british severely restricted movement activity soon emerged leader religious sect supporters movement helped british retain support world war opposed despite muslim leader lent support crisis anti british riots egypt british governor general assassinated grew wealthy cotton production supporters provided labor influential british administration governor general sir paid formal friendly visit march archer dismissed placed travel restriction 1930s spoke treaty egypt britain recognized egyptian claims sovereignty consulted travelling london case followers influential faction general congress established successor set patron nationalist nation political party period independent party won seats parliamentary elections independence november army staged coup supported died shortly background antiquity egypt trade route mediterranean india countries east opening suez_canal gained huge strategic importance british took effective control egypt northern central nominally egyptian ottoman force conquered occupied region primary motive territorial conquest secure source slaves serve egyptian army slaves paid lieu taxes brought inaccessible regions south british explorer visited found town involved slave trade including governor general egyptian garrison lived land like army occupation way torture routine prisons baker said miserable place hardly imagined described governor general combining worst oriental brutality wild animal 1870s muslim named began preach renewal faith liberation proclaimed promised islamic world followers named given citizens helped religious political revolt gathered momentum steadily losing ground british showing little enthusiasm costly engagement remote region end army wiped egyptian armies force general sent suppress revolt destroyed governor surrendered west come control major general given job evacuating egyptian garrison arrived february gordon reluctant abandon population forces felt evacuating city open way threaten egypt bombarded authorities cairo suggesting alternative courses delayed starting evacuation march tribes north declared cutting telegraph blocking river traffic besieged falling january siege days relief column arrived days city fallen gordon killed despite short lived public outcry britain gordon death britain took action years died months victory leaving power deputies born july weeks father death mother granddaughter sultan child formal education religious school pupils age recited prolonged struggle emerged sole leader support nomadic west proved able ruthless ruler state state run military lines state later conventional form administration introduced consolidated rule invaded killing emperor march penetrating far year attacked egypt defeated state suffered economic problems internal opposition particularly family forced concentrate consolidation british detected weakness prepared invasion motivated wish revenge gordon death desire raw cotton textile industry invasion launched moving south supported railway army built route force reached september april british egyptian force led general defeated battle september battle known battle book river war sir winston_churchill present battle summed result river war varied course extended fourteen years involved destruction lives extremes contrasts displayed battles mere occasions shocking surprising heroism wisdom incompetence result length achieved flags england egypt wave valley british sent family september group included muhammad cousin chosen successors government heard rumors family group advocating revival dispatched military force account says force attacked family followers firing random badly wounded elder brothers killed account says elder sons arrested skirmish attempt rescue sons found guilty court martial trial shot organized resistance british ended sporadic fighting continued years theory british ruled anglo egyptian partnership egypt arrangement called practice egypt bore costs military conquest occupation british ran country chose head military civil administration january agreement british nominated governor general acted independently cairo government early period british rule british took control lived relative advice inspector general constantly watched early years british rule given small allowed governor general determined stamp held prisoner years placed restrictions leaders prohibiting reading prayer book visiting sacred places associated movement tomb praying making offerings tomb lived near subject constant supervision intelligence department allowed live study distinguished named gained understanding islamic religion including prophet tradition educated islamic scholar father government lent money build family mosque let farm father land emphasized peaceful intentions convincing government movement dangerous british official described aged sorry looking youth clothes public speech supported administration anglo egyptian quietly began religious sect lived closely watched intelligence agents despite surveillance built considerable influence region visited meet followers face covered recognized government agents received visitors sought blessing world war world war broke turkey sided germany britain governor general persuade people turkey longer truly muslim state helped memories harsh turkish rule described britain true defender islam called turkish rulers syndicate jews low born british northern saw leaders main islamic groups natural people decided enlist support british cause publicly declared support british assisted suppressing rebellion series tours visits parts country strong particularly region speaking opposition turkish sultan calls toured greeted thousands sword carrying prayed day arrived alarmed possibility revival british ordered return appointed agents provinces later role report illegal activity encourage payment taxes british took advantage visits collect payments encourage freely illegal prayer book british encouraged development version movement accommodate ambitions far supporting goal king support world war based official policy british official critical support given time later wrote changes modification policy deliberately proposed consequence action taken majority appear represent gradual drift government time unconscious post world war delegation went london king george england british victory war dramatic gesture loyalty presented sword king delegation led leader movement later clash issues war turkish empire broken leading revival egyptian nationalism claimed natural extension egypt view mixed wanting ties egypt offset british influence wanting complete independence egypt post war period family wealthy cotton production based irrigation laborers mainly followers western tribes backbone original movement tribes inclined rival movement government supported commercial enterprises economic activity resulting wide range contacts merchants owners pump schemes cotton fields gave influence engaged commerce january government suspended payment old movements restricted increased somewhat support old women incapable people stopped 1920s respected religious political leader held meeting home attendees signed documents laid objectives ruled britain egypt eventually achieve self government early 1920s pilgrims coming year celebrate identified prophet jesus assumed drive christian colonists british found correspondence agents leaders nigeria predicting eventual victory christians blamed unrest colonies pilgrims west_africa held mass demonstrations told stop long time british ambivalent attitude provided valuable political assistance world war hand government found services hidden agenda described actions balance british found best treat ally felt governor general september leader movement rival said prefer egyptian kingdom independent monarchy time british favored saw purely religious leader potentially dangerous political ambitions political crises crisis egypt government hostile british elected november governor sir shot assassinated driving cairo british responded anger demanding egyptian government public apology inquiry suppression demonstrations payment large fine demanded withdrawal egyptian officers egyptian army units increase scope irrigation scheme laws protect foreign investors egypt egyptian army units bound oath egyptian king refused obey orders british officers british violently suppressed mutiny removed egyptian army administration egyptian officials remained legally force gained independence practice egypt administration aftermath british saw educated potential dangerous nationalist ideas imported egypt backed government condemned local supporters viewed suspicion potential enemy colonial power start awarded knight commander order british empire sir appointed governor general place sir early decisions initiate formation command completely separate egyptian army dropped egyptian title supreme commander wear egyptian clear commander chief purely army officers served egyptian army retained taken mutiny british authorities hostile banned advised archer arms length march archer ignored advice official visit accompanied escort troops officials archer arrived february formally welcomed supporters escorted horsemen went car reception house speech archer said visit marked important stage forward relations followers government archer said come cement ties friendship understanding archer visit precipitated crisis colonial administration felt far friendly viewed suspicion administrators archer forced resign replaced sir placed restriction travel outside told supporters halt political religious activities growing influence british hostility invited scholar ibn come study wrote book covering history movement justification essentially designed son tried publish book british confiscated manuscript considered highly avoid publicity prosecute quietly deported growing elite educated people social educational institutions acknowledged leader group opposed indirect rule unification egypt building national movement colonial government lowered starting rates pay officials protests demonstrations ignored general strike declared november leader taking initiative left act successfully bring strike end helped consolidate position leader eyes founded organ daily newspaper arabic language newspaper helped gain influence educated elite including politically oriented government officials joined lifetime adherents mid-1930s british realized expected recognized royalty firm control thriving movement actively seeking new adherents british officials increasingly suspicious motives correspondence showed mixture hostility fear growing influence prophet birthday celebrations displayed signs expressions advertising standing sir governor general warned remove signs face consequences british view time given sir writing april defects type liking intrigue hand quick perceptions subtle purpose opportunities laying foundations organization provinces favorite role loyal supporter government misunderstood refused action suppress neo preferring follow policy ensuring agreed guidelines behavior implied threat punishment broke rules allowed restrictions lifted retaining political activity british rule british ceded power egypt treaty designed counter ambition link libya new italian empire treaty recognized egyptian claims sovereignty return british rights valley suez_canal allowed immigration return egyptian troops consulted visited england egypt met high ranking officials king purpose present criticism anglo egyptian treaty person openly critical egyptian plans unity valley considered unrealistic eldest son visited egypt given royal reception moves concerned british saw potentially start alliance egypt despite nationalism period second world war british wanted reduce growth egyptian influence likely result treaty suppressing ultra nationalist neo movement gave support sect responded telling british pro italian family commitments accepted british government powers ordinance recognized reinforced judicial powers tribal leaders ignored aspirations educated government employment greater role administration principle indirect rule given including power prevent changes demanded secular opposition shift policy graduates general congress launched forum express opinions alternative voice tribal leaders august september congress split supporters dominant lost position end supporters saw source financial backing admired advocacy independent follow religious leader members movement end government decided congress political value split rival camps factions emerged attendees annual meeting congress included merchants government created central backing majority council members tribal leaders educated suspicious council drifted elections religious reasons hostile government wanted retain links egypt british influence want monarchy lead independence august met senior congress members tribal leaders discuss formation pro independence political party associated step taken launch new daily newspaper community february party organized party secretary applied government license constitution party mention visible link party reliance funding rumors party created colonial government aimed place throne rumors persisted june government publicly said support monarchy time flamboyant figure broad popular support stature served diminish politicians seen followers leaders afford sudden british withdrawal open door egyptian loss power british egyptian different reasons seen supporting indefinite colonial status continued promote independence british engaged delicate unstable arrangements characterized mutual distrust party began seeking support unification strongly opposed hint king egypt authority kind followers set independence organized huge demonstrations draft anglo egyptian agreement november left delegation london cairo completely ignored egyptian government cairo talked british prime minister hours london asked spoken egypt pressed claims seventy years said british excluded talks went fight power independence supported work began december saw time political religious groups able meet venue british stir disputes different factions said opposed assembly purely bring away egypt nearer independence december member resolution asking demand egypt britain grant independence british strongly opposed measure saying assembly truly representative chosen participate resolution passed vote claimed victory vote passed british said assembly representative said british break party personally tried success tribal chiefs village leaders leave claimed forced british establish committee start drafting constitution independent constitution endorsed april broader considerations leading british support independent despite attempts united_states persuade egypt role elections independence egypt gained independence egyptian revolution july king overthrown group officers included later emerge sole ruler visited london met british foreign secretary sir november january egyptian government ratified agreement representatives pro independence parties gave right self determination transition period longer years parliamentary elections held government formed british egyptian troops officials leave country replaced major proclamation supported republican system democratic republican system system deeply rooted islam pure tolerant democratic religion parliamentary elections held year successor party gained solid majority parliament prime minister victory greatest northern central partly support factor fear party try establish state king august sponsored tour south speeches quoted campaign promises supporting federal system southern provinces considerable autonomy prime minister described talk threatened use force prevent south announced seek complete independence reversal earlier position favor union egypt began assert power concerned lose political influence october began seek ways power key issue held determine independent egypt supported opposed strengthen position parliament started making associates explore idea coalition formally independent january february announced new cabinet included representatives political parties factions parliamentary elections independence held february march result victory won seats competed election won seats allocated southern provinces federal party platform represented challenge authorities clear party demands federal structure ignored june southern mps left parliament november army staged coup led general days later proclaimed strong support army action saying greatly politicians led political parties failed day release men army sprung taken matters hands permit anarchy corruption play havoc land god placed disposal government truth blessed revolution work support men revolution possible expected appointed president life disappointed legacy died aged long turbulent career strong consistent leader neo movement end reported wealthiest palace compared house mid level british administrator british preferred movement purely religious nature political leader explanations resurgence neo included british need financial influence cotton growing business expanded resurgence religious nationalist feeling sect biographer asserts rise power primarily charisma mastery manipulation son years death succeeded brother son took leadership party arrested years alternated spells prison periods exile elected president party elections prime minister holding office government overthrown imprisonment exile returned elected elected president
Abd al-Rahman al-Mahdi