Egypt. The path between Britain and India

British military and politicalinteresting in Egypt became obvious in the 18th century. India was fallingunder the influence of Britain (and away from France). Despite, the direct sailroutes around the Cape of Good Hope, Egypt still provided the quickest way ofmaintaining communications between Britain and India. It required a briefoverland journey, but it was still substantially quicker than circumnavigatingAfrica.

It was thestrategic foresight of Napoleon that first pointed out the importance of Egyptto Britain. In 1798, he had the audacity of landing an army in Egypt thatpromptly defeated the Mameluke Army at the Battleof the Pyramids. All of a sudden,British alarm bells began ringing as they realised that their profitable IndianEmpire was under direct threat. The Royal Navy was able tosave the day and the French Fleet was destroyed at the Battle of Aboukir Bay. Stranded, there was little that the French armycould do and Napoleon promptly abandoned them to their fate. The Frenchsurrendered in 1801.

It seemed as if the Britishforces would remain in place and Egypt would just have remained under Britishcontrol. Unfortunately for the British, in 1805 a vigorous Egyptian leader cameto the fore, known as Muhammed Ali. He took control of the Mamelukearmy and defeated the British in 1807. This setback forced them towithdraw from Egypt.