Egypt 1801: The End of Napoleon's Eastern Empire

A decade and a half before the Battle of Waterloo, a group of regiments received a distinctive badge to recognize their service in Egypt in 1801. This campaign, led by Sir Ralph Abercrombie, established the British Army's reputation and secured India by defeating the French. It also gained Britain a base in the Mediterranean that would enable it to dominate the region for the next century and a half.

Format: Hardback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 04 June 2021
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

The first campaign medal awarded to British soldiers is believed to be that bestowed upon those valiant individuals who engaged in combat at Waterloo in 1815. However, a decade and a half prior, a group of regiments received a distinctive badge—a representation of a Sphinx—to commemorate their service in Egypt in 1801. This distinction was fitting, as the successful campaign was a remarkable achievement, fought far from home by a British army that had yet to distinguish itself in battle against the revolutionary forces of France. Moreover, this campaign had far-reaching consequences in the subsequent Napoleonic wars. In 1798, a quixotic French expedition, led by the esteemed General Bonaparte, aimed to seize Egypt and consolidate French influence in the Mediterranean. This expedition also sought to establish a direct route to India, with the intention of destroying the East India Company and severely weakening Great Britain. While General Bonaparte returned to France to orchestrate a coup that would ultimately elevate him to the position of Emperor of the French, he left his army in control of Egypt, posing a potential threat to the East India Company until a large but diverse British Army, under the command of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, landed in 1801. Led by Abercrombie, the British Army engaged in a series of fierce battles that ultimately resulted in the complete defeat of the French. This campaign not only established the previously dubious reputation of the British Army but also played a crucial role in securing India. Furthermore, the capture of the islands of Malta along the route further solidified Britain's dominance in the Mediterranean for the next century and a half. This little-understood but profoundly important campaign has long deserved the attention of renowned historian Stuart Reid, and his comprehensive work provides a much-needed examination of this significant chapter in British military history.

Weight: 594g
Dimension: 165 x 242 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526758460