History of Sudan (1884-1898)
| Mahdist State | ||||||||||
| الدولة المهدية Al-Dawla al-Mahdiyah |
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| Unrecognized state | ||||||||||
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 Extreme limits of Mahdist-controlled territory (1891)
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| Capital | Omdurman | |||||||||
| Languages | Arabic and other languages of Sudan | |||||||||
| Religion | Messianic Islam | |||||||||
| Government | Islamic state | |||||||||
| Mahdi | ||||||||||
| • | 1881–1885 | Muhammad Ahmad | ||||||||
| Khalifa | ||||||||||
| • | 1885–1899 | Abdallahi ibn Muhammad | ||||||||
| Legislature | State Council (advisory) | |||||||||
| Historical era | Scramble for Africa | |||||||||
| • | Mahdist revolt | 1881–1885 | ||||||||
| • | Fall of Khartoum | 26 January 1885 | ||||||||
| • | Sudan Convention | 18 January 1899 | ||||||||
| • | Battle of Umm Diwaykarat | 24 November 1899 | ||||||||
| Population | ||||||||||
| • | Pre-Mahdist est. | 7,000,000 | ||||||||
| • | Post-Mahdist est. | 2,000,000–3,000,000 | ||||||||
| Currency |
Legal tender: Riyal maqbul (silver) De facto currencies: Ottoman riyal majidi, Spanish dollar, Maria Theresa thaler |
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| Today part of |
 Sudan South Sudan Ethiopia Eritrea Uganda Democratic Republic of the Congo
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Mahdist Sudan was an unrecognized state that attempted unsuccessfully to break Egyptian rule in the Sudan. Developments in Sudan during the late 19th century were heavily influenced by the British position in Egypt. In 1869, the Suez Canal opened and quickly became Britain's economic lifeline to India and the Far East. To defend this waterway, Britain sought a greater role in Egyptian affairs. In 1873, the British government therefore supported a programme whereby an Anglo-French debt commission assumed responsibility for managing Egypt's fiscal affairs. This commission eventually forced khedive Ismail to abdicate in favor of his more politically acceptable son, Tawfiq (1877–1892).
After the removal in 1877 of Ismail, who had appointed him to the post, Charles George Gordon resigned as governor general of Sudan in 1880. His successors lacked direction from Cairo and feared the political turmoil that had engulfed Egypt. As a result, they failed to continue the policies Gordon had put in place. The illegal slave trade revived, although not enough to satisfy the merchants whom Gordon had put out of business. The Sudanese army suffered from a lack of resources, and unemployed soldiers from disbanded units troubled garrison towns. Tax collectors arbitrarily increased taxation.
In this troubled atmosphere, Muhammad Ahmad ibn as Sayyid Abd Allah, a fakir, or holy man, who combined personal magnetism with religious zealotry, emerged, determined to expel the Turks and restore Islam to its primitive purity. The son of a Dongola boatbuilder, Muhammad Ahmad had become the disciple of Muhammad ash Sharif, the head of the Sammaniyah order. Later, as a sheikh of the order, Muhammad Ahmad spent several years in seclusion and gained a reputation as a mystic and teacher. In 1880, he became a Sammaniyah.
In 1881, Muhammad Ahmad proclaimed himself the Mahdi or expected one. Some of his most dedicated followers regarded him as directly inspired by Allah. He wanted Muslims to reclaim the Quran and hadith as the foundational sources of Islam, creating a just society. Specifically relating to Sudan, he claimed its poverty was a virtue and denounced worldly wealth and luxury. For Muhammad Ahmad, Egypt was an example of wealth leading to impious behavior.
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Wikipedia