29 June 1881
THE 'GUIDED ONE'
Sudanese anger against the religious and economic policies of Ottoman-Egyptian officials leads a Muslim cleric called Muhammad Ahmad to proclaim himself the 'Mahdi' ('Guided One') - the promised redeemer of the Islamic world.
His 'Mahdist' followers revolt against the Egyptians.
12 August 1881
BATTLE OF ABA 01
The first battle of the war sees the Mahdists defeat Egyptian soldiers who have landed on Aba Island on the River Nile south of Khartoum. The Mahdi himself is wounded but his force only loses 12 men compared to 120 Egyptian dead.
July - September 1882
ANGLOEGYPTIAN WAR 02
The British occupy Egypt to firmly establish their interests in the region, particularly to protect control of the Suez Canal. This de-facto occupation (known as the 'veiled protectorate') drags Britain into the Egyptians' war against the Mahdists.
3-5 November 1883
BATTLE OF SHAYKAN 03
Mohammad Ahmed leads approximately 40,000 Mahdist warriors to victory against an Anglo-Egyptian force commanded by Colonel William Hicks. Seven-thousand soldiers of Hicks' 11,000-strong army (including Hicks) are killed, with a further 2,000 captured.
13 March 1884
BATTLE OF TAMAI 04
A British force of 4,500 men commanded by Sir Gerald Graham defeats 10,000 Mahdists led by Osman Digna. After displaying the "utmost steadiness" during a desperate hand-to-hand battle, the British inflict 4,000 casualties on the Mahdists.
This story is from the Issue 110 edition of History of War.
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This story is from the Issue 110 edition of History of War.
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