Blackwell Reference Online

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In the nineteenth century the Sudan was subjected to a Turko-Egyptian invasion. At the time of the invasion, the Funj and the Fur Kingdoms were the two strongest political organizations in Eastern and Central Bilad Al-Sudan. The Funj Kingdom, with its capital in Sinnar, had since the midnineteenth century witnessed political struggles that had weakened its influence, and it became evident that the kingdom's fall was imminent. Mohammed Ali, ruler of Egypt since 1805, used force in invading the Sudan. He established an elaborate administrative system, with an emphasis on taxation and the export of agricultural and natural products. The Sudanese saw the Turkish administration and development efforts as instruments of oppression and injustice, and alien to most of their traditional religious, moral, and cultural concepts. The most important characteristic of Sudanese resistance was its persistence, in spite of its failure under the repressive policy of the regime. Two sophisticated expeditions were prepared for the invasion. The Sudanese were forced to confront them with very limited means. Resistance to the first expedition, which was heading for the capital Sinnar and was led by Ismail, son of Mohammed Ali, occurred in the Shayqiyya area. The Shayqiyya is one of a number of large groups in Bilad Al-Sudan, and its leaders decided to resist, since they were denied the right to retain ... log in or subscribe to read full text