Revolt of Cairo
Revolt of Cairo (1798) | |
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Part of the Ottoman empire 30°02′41″N 31°14′44″E / 30.0446°N 31.2456°E | |
Result | French victory |
500 wounded
The Revolt of Cairo was a revolt that occurred on 21–22 October 1798 by the
The revolt
In 1798, Napoleon led the
The French army's situation was critical – the British were threatening French control of Egypt after their victory at the Battle of the Nile, Murad Bey and his army were still in the field in Upper Egypt, and the generals Menou and Dugua were only just able to maintain control of Lower Egypt. The Ottoman peasants had common cause with those rising against the French in Cairo – the whole region was in revolt.
The French responded by setting up cannons in the Citadel and firing them at areas containing rebel forces. During the night, French soldiers advanced around Cairo and destroyed any barricades and fortifications they came across.[2] The rebels soon began to be pushed back by the strength of the French forces, gradually losing control of their areas of the city. Bonaparte personally hunted down rebels from street to street and forced them to seek refuge in the Al-Azhar Mosque. Bonaparte said that "He [i.e God] is too late – you've begun, now I will finish!". He then immediately ordered his cannon to open fire on the Mosque. The French broke down the gates and stormed into the building, massacring the inhabitants. At the end of the revolt 5,000 to 6,000 Egyptians were dead or wounded.
Aftermath
Back in absolute control of Cairo, Bonaparte sought out the authors and instigators of the revolt. Several sheikhs, along with various people of influence, were convicted of participation in the plot and
Stop founding your hopes on Ibrahim and Mourad, and put your trust in he who has empires in his discretion and who creates men!
References
- ^ Chandler, p. 230.
- ^ "Egypt: History - French Occupation Period". Touregypt.net. 20 June 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
Sources
- ISBN 978-0025236608.
- Pigeard, Alain (2004). Dictionnaire des batailles de Napoléon: 1796-1815, Paris: éditions Tallandier. ISBN 978-2-84734-073-0
External links
- Media related to Revolt of Cairo at Wikimedia Commons