EGYPT AND EXTERNAL FORCES IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Egypt is one of the places in the world that witnessed a great number of external forces influences within its territories. This can be characterized by the so many external powers to have control or operated within Egypt within some time in their history. The position of Egypt and its encounter to some major political, developmental and religious theories encouraged the increased external forces influences and operations. One can point out how the Suez Canal propelled a whole lot conflicts geared towards its control, which in turned made Egypt a playing ground for power seeking and imperialist around the world.
Before 2850 BC Egypt was organized into two kingdoms which comprises of the Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt. Not much was known historically about the developments as at that period. Early Egyptian culture was based more on villages, agrarian life. Capitals were fixed based on the resident of the Kings. This created a situation where Memphis, Lisht, Thebes all served as capitals of some kingdoms in Egypt within certain times.
In 525 BC Egypt lost its independence to the Persian Empire. The Persian Empire controlled Egypt for up to two centuries. Later the Persian Empire was defeated by the forces of Alexander of Macedon and all they territories under the Persian Empire including Egypt were transferred under the control of Alexander of Macedon. Egypt was entrusted to Ptolemy who was one of the victorious Generals under Alexander of Macedon. The Ptolemies went ahead with some developmental activities in Egypt but within some time their influence was cut short by the influence of the Romans.
The Roman occupied Egypt in the 30 BC. The Roman rule in the early stage was promising but later some disagreement enfolded. This was because of the contributions of the Egyptians to the development of the early Christendom. Later the capital of the Roman Empire was transferred from Rome to Constantinople, Alexandria in Egypt. This made Egypt a very centre of the activities in Christendom. The problem came with the division in the Christian community in Egypt which were the Orthodox melxite congregation and the Monophysite Coptic church.
The situation was followed by the invasion of an Islamic army under the control of Amir Ibn-al-As in 639 AD. With this invasion the whole of Egypt was under Islamic rule by 641 AD. For the next two centuries, Egypt remained a province of a powerful Islamic Empire with its capital at Medina. Egypt was ruled by an Islamic set called the Umayyads(661-750) AD. Later the Umayyad lost control to the Abbasid who had their influence from Baghdad. The Abassid later lost control to the Mamluks. They Mamluks were able to maintain the independence of Egypt to any external force for some time.
Egypt later witnessed about eight and half centuries of independence which and later was faced with the imperialistic activities of the Europeans. Under this independent period Egypt went through these ruling dynasties. They were;
1) Tulunids (868-905 AD). This dynasty was founded by a Mamluk governor in Abbasid service.
2) Ikshids (935-969 AD). This dynasty was founded by a Mamluk governor under the Abbasid service.
3) Fatimids (969-1171 AD). This dynasty was founded by the leaders of revolutionary Muslim set, the adherent of the Ismaili branch of Shi’ism. They claim descent from Prophet Mohammed daughter Fatima.
4) Ayyubids (1171-1250 AD). This dynasty was founded by at Fatimid Army officer called Sala-al-Din (Saladin).
5) The Mamluks (1250-1517 AD). The Mamluks were first Turkish and later Caucasian origin.
All these dynasties were founded by foreign elements not native Egyptians but they maintained independence of Egypt from any foreign power. These dynasties tried their best to develop Egypt. This period saw Egypt been a very strong power within the Muslim world and with its neighbors.
The entrance of the Europeans into Egypt brought about another face of the imperialistic tendencies. Egypt witnessed another section of external aggressions from European countries. The first among these external influences was the Ottoman Empires invasion of Egypt. The Ottoman Empire that metamorphosed into present day Turkey had control of Egypt for sometime. The Ottoman Empire struck because of the aggressions of the Mamluks in Egypt to the region. In the invasion, the Mamluk lost control of Egypt to the Ottoman Turks. Before this time the Mamluks rule was said to have been characterized by corrupt, misrule and bad administration. This brought about division among them. In this division, they could not protect the independence of Egypt.
The Ottoman rule of Egypt did not achieve a lot as well. They were not able to change the misrule instituted by the Mamluks. In 1798 the French under Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt and took it over from the Ottoman. Nothing much changed with the invasion of the French. The British as well got involved in the later years in the imperialistic struggle against Egypt.

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