Tewfik Pasha

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This article is about Tewfik Pasha. For the last Ottoman grand vizier, see Ahmet Tevfik Pasha.

Mohamad Tewfik
Pasha
Isma'il I
MotherShafaq Nur Hanim

Mohamed Tewfik Pasha (

Muhammad Ali Dynasty. He inherited a state suffering under the financial and political mismanagement of his predecessor Isma'il. Disaffection in the Egyptian army as well as Anglo-French control of the state in the 1880s culminated in the anti-foreign Urabi revolt. Tewfik also took interest in matters concerning irrigation, education and justice; as well as selling his father's female slaves and closing the court's harem
quarters.

Early life

He was the oldest son of Khedive

Isma'il, and was born on April 30 or November 15, 1852. His mother was Princess Shafaq Nur Hanim. He was not sent to Europe to be educated like his younger brothers, but grew up in Egypt.[1]

He spoke French and English fluently.[2]

In 1866 Isma'il succeeded in his endeavour to alter the order of succession to the

heir-apparent. He was given a palace near Cairo to live in, and for twelve years he led an uneventful life, farming and establishing a reputation for good sense and fair dealing with his fellow tenants.[1]

Marriage

In

Ibrahim al-Hami
and Parlanta Qadin.

Presidency

In 1878 he was appointed president of the council after the dismissal of Nubar Pasha. He held this office only for a few months; but this was long enough to show that he had the wisdom to refrain from taking part in the intrigues which then dominated the political life in Egypt and Sudan.[1]

He went back to his estate, and settled down once more to a quiet country life. He was undisturbed only for a short time. On 26 June 1879, Isma'il, at the insistence of Britain and France, was deposed by Sultan Abdul Hamid II, who sent orders at the same time that Tewfik should be proclaimed Khedive.[1]

Reign

The new khedive was so displeased by the news of his accession that he soundly boxed the ears of the servant who first brought the tidings to him. Egypt and Sudan at that time was involved in financial and political troubles brought about by the policy of Isma'il, and the situation was made worse by the inaction of Britain and France for some months following Tewfik's accession. Tewfik's people were dissatisfied, his army disaffected; his advisers were nearly all of the adventurer class, with their own ends to gain; and he himself had neither the character of a strong ruler nor the experience that would have enabled him to secure an orderly administration of affairs.[1]

Tewfik Pasha

Disorder prevailed until November 1879, when the dual control was reestablished by the governments of Britain and France. For over two years Major Evelyn Baring (afterwards Lord Cromer), Auckland Colvin, and Monsieur Ernest de Blignières practically governed the country, endeavouring to institute reforms while possessing no means of coercion.[1]

During all this time the disaffection in the

Beauchamp Seymour, afterwards Lord Alcester) to declare that he would bombard the forts of Alexandria unless they were handed over to him.[1]

Before the bombardment began it was suggested to Tewfik that he should leave the city and embark either upon a

mail steamer which was then in the port. His answer was, "I am still Khedive, and I remain with my people in the hour of their danger." At his palace of Qasr el-Raml, three miles (five kilometers) from the town, he was beyond reach of the shells, but his life was nevertheless imperiled. When the rebel soldiers attacked the palace he managed to make his escape and to reach another palace after passing through the burning streets of Alexandria. Here he was obliged to agree that a guard of British bluejackets should protect him from further risk. He showed his courage equally during the cholera epidemic at Alexandria in 1883.[1]

He had gone back to

Battle of Tel al-Kebir, had consented to the reforms insisted upon by Britain, and had assumed the position of a constitutional ruler under the guidance of Lord Dufferin, the British special commissioner. When cholera broke out, he insisted upon going to Alexandria. His wife accompanied him, and he went round the hospitals, setting an excellent example to the authorities of the city, and encouraging the patients by kind and hopeful words.[3]

Egyptian Fundamental Ordinance of 1882, a constitution, followed an abortive attempt to promulgate a constitution in 1879. The document was limited in scope and was effectively more of an organic law of the Consultative Council to the khedive than an actual constitution.[4]

In 1884, Sir Evelyn Baring (Lord Cromer) went back to Egypt as diplomatic agent and Consul-General of Britain. His first task was to demand that Tewfik should abandon the

Riaz Pasha to form a ministry, an action influenced, nevertheless, by Tewfik's knowledge of the divergence of views between Nubar and the British agent. Baring encouraged Tewfik to show his activity in matters of administration, and he took a great interest in all matters connected with irrigation, education and justice. He was not an imposing man, but he showed a genuine desire to govern his country for its own benefit. He understood the importance to Egypt of British assistance and support; his natural shrewdness made him accept the British conditions; his natural good feeling kept him from any inclination to intrigue.[3]

Personal life

He was courteous and amiable, he had no desire to keep up the unapproachable state of an oriental ruler. In many ways his manners and habits were less oriental than European. He married in 1873 his ethnic Albanian kinswoman, Emina Ilhamy, with whom he lived very happily. She was his only wife and Tewfik was a strong advocate of monogamy. When Tewfik ascended the throne, he closed the harem quarters in the imperial palace, and sold all of his father's female slaves to slave markets.[3]

Death

He died on 7 January 1892, at the Helwan Palace near Cairo, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Abbas II.[3]

Issue

By his wife he had the following children:

Honours

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Chisholm 1911, p. 686.
  2. JSTOR 2139362
    .
  3. ^ a b c d Chisholm 1911, p. 687.
  4. ISBN 9781107070516
  5. ^ "Ritter-Orden: Orden des Eisernen Krone", Hof- und Staatshandbuch der Österreichisch-Ungarischen Monarchie, 1883, p. 161, retrieved 5 February 2021
  6. ^ Sveriges statskalender (in Swedish), 1881, p. 449, retrieved 6 February 2021 – via runeberg.org
  7. ^ "Rother Adler-orden", Königlich Preussische Ordensliste (in German), vol. 1, Berlin, 1877, p. 33 – via hathitrust.org{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  8. ^ Hof- und Staatshandbuch des Großherzogtums Oldenburg: 1879. Schulze. 1879. p. 45.
  9. ^ Shaw, Wm. A. (1906) The Knights of England, I, London, p. 310
  10. ^ The Royal Tourist—Kalakaua's Letters Home from Tokio to London. Editor: Richard A. Greer. Date: 10 March 1881
  11. ^ "Ritter-Orden: Kaiserlich-Österreichischer Franz Joseph-orden", Hof- und Staatshandbuch der Österreichisch-Ungarischen Monarchie, 1891, p. 189, retrieved 5 February 2021
  12. ^ Shaw, p. 212
  13. ^ "Kronprinsparets resa" [The Crown Prince Couple's Journey]. Nya Dagligt Allehanda (in Swedish). 4 May 1891.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tewfik Pasha.
Tewfik Pasha
Muhammad Ali Dynasty
Born: 1852 Died: 1892
Preceded by
Ismail
 Khedive of Egypt and Sudan
1879–1892 		Succeeded by
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