The Battle of Shaykan (also called the battle of El Obeid) 1883.
The army of the Mahdi wipes out a 10,000 strong Eyptian army commanded by British officer William “Billy” Hicks Hicks Pasha.

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Near the beginning of the 1966 film “Khartoum” staring Charlton Heston, an Egyptian army, commanded by a British officer, being annihilated by the Mahdi’s army in Sudan.

Whilst in a film, this battle is based on fact. An Egyptian army of 10,000 men, commanded by Col. William Hicks (Hicks Pasha), was wiped out by 40,000 Dervish warriors at the Battle of Shaykan (also called the Battle of El Obeid). Barely 300 men escaped the destruction.

The background as to how both the Egyptians and, later, the British ended up being involved in Sudan can be discovered in some of my other videos:

The battle of TelElKebir & the British occupation of Egypt 1882
   • Battle of Tel El Kebir | The AngloEg...  


What then happened to General Charles Gordon can be viewed in these videos:

The British attempt under General Sir Garnet Wolseley to save Gordon (The Nile Expedition)
   • The Nile Expedition to rescue General...  

The battle of Abu Klea
   • The Battle of Abu Klea 1885 | British...  

Gordon of Khartoum (part 1)
   • General Charles Gordon (Part 1   Chi...  

The often forgotten British effort against the Mahdi’s key supporter (Osman Digna) in the Red Sea coastal area in Sudan involved several bitterly fought battles.

The battle of El Teb
   • The Battle of El Teb 1884  Mahdist W...  

The Battle of Tamai
   • The Battle of Tamai 1884 | British M...  

In the end, the British efforts were for naught.
They quietly withdrew their forces from Sudan and the Mahdi’s successor, the Khalifa would establish an Islamic caliphate in the country.

It would remain independent until a BritishEgyptian army under General Kitchener reinvaded Sudan in the late 1890’s.
At the Battle of Omdurman, Kitchener decisively defeated the Khalifa’s forces and ended Sudanese independence.

The battle of Omdurman
   • What Happened At  The Battle of Omdur...  

#battleofshaykan #hickspasha #generalgordon #sudan #militaryhistory #britisharmy


Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:50 The Mahdist Revolt
2:44 Britain Gets Involved
4:56 Hicks Pasha
6:59 Hicks Takes Command
8:41 Battle of Sennar
9:22 Hicks Out Of His Depth?
11:08 Advance on El Obeid
13:28 Battle of Shaykan
16:04 Annihilation
18:26 Mahdi Triumphant
20:18 Send for General Gordon
21:08 The History Chap

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My name is Chris Green and I love to share stories from British history. Not just because they are interesting but because, good or bad, they have shaped the world we live in today.

History should not be stuffy or a long list of dates or kings & queens.
So rather than lectures or Youtube animations, I tell stories that bring the past to life.

My aim is to be chat as if I were having a coffee or meal with you. Jean in Maryland, USA recently wrote: "Chris, is the history teacher I wish I had at school!"

Just for the record, I do have a history degree in Medieval & Modern history from the University of Birmingham.

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