TAWFIQ PASHA, MUHAMMAD

born April 30, 1852, Cairo, Egypt died Jan. 7, 1892, Hulwan also spelled Mohammed Tewfik Pasha, in full Muhammad Tawfiq Pasha Ibn Isma'il Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Muhammad 'ali khedive of Egypt (187992) during the first phase of the British occupation. The Ottoman sultan appointed Tawfiq khedive in 1879, when the khedive Isma'il proved obstructive to the interests of the European powers. Tawfiq had little domestic support and was thus forced to meet the demands of his political opponents. A group of military officers led by Ahmad 'Urabi Pasha gained increasing influence, and 'Urabi was named minister of war in 1882. Great Britain was alarmed by the anti-European direction in which events were moving in Egypt, and a British fleet bombarded Alexandria in July 1882; this only increased 'Urabi's popular support, and Tawfiq was forced to seek the protection of the British. That August the British invaded Egypt and returned Tawfiq to authority. From then on he was controlled by the occupation authorities.