Riaz Pasha

Riaz Pasha (1835 or 1836–1911) was an Egyptian statesman. His name can also be spelled Riyad Pasha and Riyāḍ Bāshā (Arabic: رياض باشا‎‎). He served as the 4th Prime Minister of Egypt three times during his career. His first term was between September 21, 1879 and September 10, 1881. His second term was from June 9, 1888 to May 12, 1891. His final term lasted from January 17, 1893 to April 16, 1894.

Riaz was of a Circassian family, but was said to be of Jewish ancestry. Little is known of his early life, except that, until the accession of Isma'il Pasha to the Khedivate of Egypt in 1863, he occupied a humble position.

Ismail, recognizing in this obscure individual a capacity for hard work and a strong will, made him one of his ministers, to find, to his chagrin, that Riaz was also an honest man possessed of a remarkable independence of character. When Ismail's financial straits compelled him to agree to a commission of inquiry, Riaz was the only Egyptian of known honesty sufficiently intelligent and patriotic to be named as a vice-president of the commission. He filled this office with distinction, but not to the liking of Ismail.

Khedive Ismail, however, felt compelled to nominate Riaz as a member of the first Egyptian cabinet, when, as a sop to his European creditors, he assumed the position of a constitutional monarch in 1878. For the few months this government lasted (September 1878 - April 1879) Riaz was minister of the interior. When Ismail dismissed the cabinet and attempted to resume autocratic rule, Riaz fled the country.

Upon the deposition of Ismail, in June 1879, Riaz was sent for by the British and French controllers, and he formed the first ministry under Khedive Tawfiq. His administration, marked by much ability, lasted only two years, and was overthrown by the agitation which had Urabi Pasha as its figurehead. Riaz treated the beginnings of this movement as of no consequence. In reply to a warning of what might happen he said, "But this is Egypt; such things do not happen; you say they have happened elsewhere, perhaps, but this is Egypt." On the evening of 9 September 1881, after the military demonstration in Abdin Square, Riaz was dismissed; broken in health he went to Europe, remaining at Geneva until the fall of Urabi.

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