Very good episode and thank you for it, I'm from Sudan and I really wanted to know more about Shaykan, you did a great job in explaining our shared history.... please continue. Shaykan was the catalyst that drew Britain eyes into the region, and it really shows the important of logistics and soliders spirits... Thank you for your work !
My late father, who was born in 1923, told me he, when in St. Johns Ambulance in the 1930s in Bournemouth ( the following might actually have been when he was in the Boy Scouts) he used to push old servicemen who had been in The Sudan War - in their wheel chairs ( these may even have been bath chairs). Needless to say, he was always amused at Corporal Jones in 'Dad's Army' talking about 'The Mad Mahdi', General Gordon, 'The Battle Of Omdurman' etc.
Chris, this video, like all the ones of yours I’ve seen, is terrific. Your narration is intelligent, and clearly the result of focused research. Marvelous content. Thanks for your work-it’s educational and entertaining!
Excellent as usual Chris, I especially like the use of old photographs. I'm Irish and was in London at the weekend & really got a feel for British history, with statues and buildings, wondering what London must have looked like in Victorian times. Thankfully relations between Ireland and Britain have improved enormously with the white hot tip of history having cooled a lot which allows for greater objectivity in relations. I toured the Palace of Westminster and walked Horse Guards Parade and found it all very interesting. Look forward to seeing more of Britain. I would be keen to see some videos on British exploits in India & China in the 18th and 19th centuries. Particularly love the period around Gordon and saw Cleopatra's needle in London, donated by the Egyptians many years ago and sitting by the side of the Thames.
Here I am at 3:48 am USA central time watching this video. I couldn't stop at one. Well done as usual!! I will watch the rest when I wake up. Always a treat to watch your videos!!
Excellent video on a fascinating subject. I remember the film Khartoum very vividly. Along with Zulu it kickstarted my interest in the Victorian Colonial period.
@@TheHistoryChap I always rather found myself pitying Hicks. Even had he been the most brilliant commander in Victorian history, it would have made little to no difference with such a rabble of an army(some of the conscripts would go so far as to rub lime in their eyes and shoot off their trigger fingers to try and get out of service. The Bashi Bazouks would regularly operate more as thieves than soldiers), and the political pressures placed upon him to achieve a decisive victory soon all posed almost insurmountable tasks.
There are a few other fair to reasonably good films about Colonial 'little wars' such as The Four Feathers, 55 Days at Peking and Breaker Morant, but the period was only briefly fashionable for film makers. Now, with the left's historical revisionism, only 'white man bad' films are likely.
A conscripted army with very little training, poor logistics, defunct morale, andvHicks own arrogance sealed their fate. Hicks, although a good leader had been dealt a hand he couldn't win with. Thanks Chris, always a pleasure watching your videos.
Just fast forward to 2023 in the Russia vs Ukraine war. Prisoners, conscripts, discipline etc. It kinda sounds like history repeats itself in different countries, different eras but just as deadly
@patrickclune3600 : Almost similar to the Invasion of Iraq - a nation that had no connection to 9/11 - look at the end result. Endless attacks, crimes, instability and worse than that, Daesh Terrorist Network and rivals battling for supremacy and autonomy : an episode that cost too much in terms of money, international relations and most devastating, human life.
If I remember correctly Sir Winston Churchill fought the Mahdi at the Battle of Omdurman during the late 1800s. He had injured his right arm and was unable to draw his sword for the cavalry charge; he drew his Model C96 Mauser pistol instead and shot his way through the charge. Thank you very much Chris for bringing us this account of the British Army fighting the Mahdi and the first of the revolts.
Great post. In the Omdurman campaign the enemy was the Khalifa, the Mahdi's successor. Churchill took part in the (rather misjudged) charge of the 21st lancers. Just one story of many in his amazing life!
Amazing video and channel. British history has been something I never got to study in detail, and this channel so far has been a wonderful entry into this field.
british history mostly was very simple: Hand over your country,gold and diamonds and work for free or Mr Martini-Henry will talk to you!.He is very convincing
You have earned another Subscriber great job. I had not heard of these battles being from the U.S. but have always been fascinated by British, Scottish, Welsh and Irish History as that is where 85 percent of my Heritage comes from.
Thanks for this. For the first time I understand the background and development of this war. I need to study the history of Sudan up to the present disaster.
Fantastic work, sir, on all your videos, so glad I discovered your channel. I remember visiting the Crypt in St. Paul's Cathedral when I was in London in December 2003 and marveled at the memorial plaque for the British correspondents killed in the Sudan. Frank Vizetelly (who died with Hicks Pasha) was of particular interest to me as he had covered the American Civil War and I portrayed a Harper's Weekly artist at battle reenactments across the US for many years. I would love to learn more about the names listed on that plaque at St. Paul's if you are ever so inclined. Once again, good show!
He left off the fact that the suppression of slavery by the Egyptians which angered Moslems. The Mahdi supported slavery, which helped fuel the revolt.
No matter what your opinion of England, we should all agree that the British Empire era of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, at its height in the 19th and very early 20th centuries, was the largest empire in history, and, for a century, was the foremost global power, should be admired by friend and foe alike.
Largest and most powerful? Debatable, but possibly. Admired? Blargh, hell no! The British Empire is just like the Boomers. They absorbed and ruined everything they touched everywhere for everyone, and we're still paying for their rapacious greed today.
An excellent narrative! Like many , my interest in this conflict started by watching the film Khartoum. I also read A Moorehead’s excellent The White Nile, which details the exploits of Gordon Pasha and the Mahdi. Well done, and many thanks! I’m looking forward to other videos- all the best!
Chris, I'm a resent subscriber.....and I'm so impressed with your docos, I'm in Oz & look forward to pouring a glass of cognac and sitting back to learn all about history. thank you.
So glad to see you returning to the fascinating campaigns and stories in Sudan, sir. Also don't forget to cover the battle of Kirbekan and the stories of Major General William Earle later on!
I use to watch in awe at that battle scene at the opening of the film Khartoum which I realise now was a little short of the truth.. and Gladstone later telling his commanders that were being sent to help rescue Gordon "don't do a Billy Hicks on me "
00:10 A superior film 🎥 to Zulu. Underrated because of the unfortunate ending. Brilliant performance by Sir Laurence Olivier. So amazing acting, he was unrecognisable.
I'm 71 and a fan of History now a fan of your channel, looking forward to learning more, just read Mutiny on the Bounty, and Tobruk, now reading Breaker Morant, thank you for your videos,. now for some Charlton Heston (Chinese Gordon)
Very nice video. I have been waiting for this one as you did a great job with the Anglo Egyptian war and then following up with Khartoum and Kitcheners revenge at Omdurman. However I have been dying for you to do one on the 2nd Anglo Afghan war. It’s a campaign that is hardly ever talked about, but in my opinion is one of GB’s best carried out and successful campaigns. Plus it features a great Victorian General of Frederick Bob Roberts.
2nd Anglo Afghan war is on my list. Please make sure you subscribe to my YT channel or sign up for my newsletter at my website so you don't miss it (www.thehistorychap.com)
Nice narrative, I'm memorizing the article of this battle since I was in secondary school almost 17 years ago, despite Hicks pasha's army outnumbered the Mahadi's warriors and you can also observe the difference of the weapons, stick and swords against fire the Mahadi and his warriors win the battle due to the motives and reasons that you've mentioned in the video. .Thank you
I have a Kaskara sword, my theory ( imagination) that it was a souvenir from the Sudan war. On doing a little investigation, it was used by camel riders and used as a downward slicing weapon, the ' balance ' is terrible but I could imagine devastating wounds to the unfortunate recipient.
Thanks for a well-narrated (apart from your pronunciation of El Obeid!), historically accurate, and informative video. It's forty years since I visited the Shaykan battlefield while I was based in El Obeid. You could still find buttons and spent bullets if you raked through the sand. Desertification has played its role, and what was a forest in 1883 was just plain desert a century later. I seem to remember there was a plaque commemorating the battle fixed to a baobab tree , but that may be a false memory. Thanks again for an interesting video.
Another brilliant video Chris. There were 2 points regarding Col. Hicks and his ill-fated advance on El Obeid, which jarred my nerves: 1. Why was a Colonel in charge of a fighting formation which should have been commanded by a Divisional Commander? 2. The greatest friend or enemy in war is Mother Nature. I would fear the desert and would reject following a dried-up water course of the Nile as my unproven source for water. I would only consider this course of action if my own scouts could verify the existence of a plentiful supply of potable artesian water. Moreover, I would wish to minimise the effect of blistering heat on my soldiers by using the shortest route to the objective. Vegetation at the objective provided cover for the Dervish. Never ever sacrifice fields of fire for cover. Defensive positions must accommodate the deployment of artillery so it can be used to maximum advantage. Digging in, although unpopular in the heat, might have been a safer option for Col. Hicks. The problem though was lack of water for his men to be able to dig in. Intelligent thought beforehand needed to be given to the disposition of Col Hicks' men overnight, which might be their fighting defensive positions for the next day.
The grades tied to formations wasn't the same as today. Brigades were often commanded by Colonels not Brigadier Generals. This was especially true when European officers commanded colonial troops or as mercenary officers in a smaller nation.
@@arthurmosel808 Arthur -- Thank you for explaining that. But in the case of Col. Hicks, this still meant he had little experience dealing with such large formations. Moreover, his army could still not be counted on under fire, with his soldiers probably resentful they had been pressed into service, with very poor morale due to lack of water. If Col. Hick's men had had cover from fire in their defensive position, and were properly deployed, they could have inflicted massive losses on the Dervish army. Had all rifles been bought to bear, with plenty of ammunition to hand, in the rapid fire mode, the Dervish enemy could have been routed. In defence of Col. Hicks, theory is always easier than being there, with little water, and heavily outnumbered by Dervish, who continue to pour crippling fire into Col. Hicks' troops. Col. Hicks deserves respect.
@@LaHayeSaint These were still single shot rifles and just a few years before the Zulus inflicted a severe defeat on British troops t hat had problems with cartridges over heating and not ejecting; and enemies close enough to cover a distance in a rush. These Egyptian troops were no where near as trained as the British troops who were overwhelmed and were facing an enemy just as furious and even more willing to die for their beliefs. I doubt that this force surrounded, weaken by little sleep and water could have stopped them. Remember just a few years later, a similiar force broke a British square. I doubt that the colonel's lack of experience was the deciding factor. Overconfidence would have been a definite factor as it was in the beginning stages of the Zulu War a few years earlier; remember no British officers had experience with the Moslem Sudanese or "Fuzzy Wazzies" as the British later called them. Kipling even extolled their bravery in one poem.
@@arthurmosel808 Arthur -- Based on what you say, firepower was insufficient for the Anglo-Egyptian force. But their defences seemed weak as they were sustaining numerous casualties from rifle fire. How do we change that? Col. Hicks did have artillery which would need to be actively employed out of range of enemy small arms fire. They would need a 360o arc and possibly a high angle of elevation of shot., although at El Obeid, old fashioned cannister fired at close range, might have been very useful indeed. For Col. Hicks' soldiers to be taking hits in a defensive position meant that the Dervish were close and the soldiers unprotected. They needed sandbags or to dig in. But with water scarce, both methods could result in the soldiers succumbing to heat stroke and dehydration before the Dervish attacked in force. With Dervish reinforcements pouring in by the hour, and water running out, and with unsteady troops, something had to be done. Any ideas Arthur? Stand and fight, or withdrawal by night under cover of two of the guns firing?
Well done. A good script, very professionally presented and an interesting piece of history. I think the entire Victorian and Edwardian era would offer many other subjects that would be excellent for your treatment.
Very informative. Hicks' treatment is very reminiscent of Armstrong Custer What's the old Japanese proverb, "Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan"?
Good video, explains a lot about this strange episode, Hicks really had a well-armed and supplied army, even if it with low morale, but why he didn't use bashibozuks for reconnaissance, to camp inside a wooded area where he does not command the view of surrounding terrain was also not smart...he could have chosen a plateau or something at least near the source of water, his cavalry should explore where the water lies and lead the army there. If the guides deliberately lead him into the trap it reminds a lot of Varus defeat in Teutoburg.
Another good story Chris 👍. Any closer to getting the story about Piper Findlater? Had hoped I could show it to my father as Piper Findlater is a distant relative but sadly dad passed away at the end of March this year.
Another great tale, well told. Where ya gone, Chris? I kind of miss seeing you articulate the story. It's like teacher has left the room and we're left with the TV, on that big old frame they used to wheel in. (You in the staff room, having a crafty Woodbine?) Heh! Heh!
You prosecuted slavery at an eye watering cost to the relatives of those who were enslaved. Your money is no comparison to the lives lost and destroyed by the evil of slavery
@@christopherogundare6049 Britain absolutely did not start slavery... It's as old as humanity. Even the transatlantic slave trade was originally a Spanish/Portuguese idea.
Can anyone of you deniers claim that Britain was not a slave economy in the 17th to 19th centuries. I do not mean that they started slavery globally but abolition was by no means a British initiative on its own. Several countries and kingdoms had also abolished slavery in history. I speak in contradiction to the term Britain abolished slavery. They also started enslaving people and that must not be whitewashed. Britain was the biggest slave economy at some point in the 18th century. Jamaica, Barbados, East Coast of the US, Antigua, Trinidad and Tobago and British West Indies as well as India (see Mauritius and Seychelles today) all bear the imprimatur of British contribution to slavery. Do not knit pick. Face the fact that Bristol and Liverpool are slave cities.
Could never see an entire Armys worth of armaments and equipment being left behind in a hostile country these days... 😏 And lets see what "their" current proxy debacle will reault in 🎉 Great video thanks.
My dad was briefly stationed in the Sudan at the end of the war. He befreinded the Hadendoa tribesmen whose grandfathers might well have fought against the British in the time of the Mahdi. The dervishes were no more savage than anybody else back in the day, and probably a lot better behaved than the bashi bazouks. It is so sad that Sudan is once again the site of proxy wars between foreign powers.
Reminds me of that general that once said war is a racket. Other than some monetary gain of a few influential people back home, who most probably also owned the press, soldiers had to die in a far off country for no other reason than to keep a debtor in power.
The only positive thing I have to say about the British involvement in such Imperial Wars is: They make Table-Top Wargames a little simpler. One does not have to factor in casualties. These battles are a fight to the last man. Otherwise, such battles are a brutal, barbaric arena of slaughter. There is much evil that men do.
@@bartomiejzakrzewski7220 'British Island' has long been home to many peoples of many cultures. For example, my Father-in-law was born Kenyan. My Mother-in-law was born in India. My Aunt was born in Germany. My best friend's father was born in Eire. We all call 'British Island' home. I am not sure what is your point.
Excellent video 📹 Was the Mahdi a good calculating battle leader? He never made made rash charges against brilliant European weapons. He demolished two very good experienced British commanders. Many British commanders would have been reluctant to risk their reputation whilst the Mahdi was alive. If you was around then in Great Britain it was a dark period. Doom and gloom in the officers barracks and the elite Gentlemen Clubs.
Nice fantasy, but that isn't how it worked out although the Mahdi proved a leader. Both commanders only had Egyptian troops under them and Gordon had only been sent in to get the small Egyptian garrison and Europeans at Khartoum out but they were not able to leave. The British begged Gordon to leave the city but he refused to abandon the Egyptians in Khartoum. Gordon held a hopeless position for one year. The British troops who had been reluctantly send to relieve Gordon but too late won several battles against the Mahdists (who made mass charges against British weapons) but it proved not worth the effort so the British left him in Sudan to which he suddenly died only six months after Gordon. As stated at the beginning, the British had no real interest in Sudan, it was an Egyptian thing, the biggest black eye on the Government was failing to act fast enough to save Gordon, not rescuing the Egyptians. However when they went back in the late 1890's the international situation had changed the British went in an and promptly destroyed the Mahadists who still charged against even better British Weaponry.
The armies that the Mahdi defeated were Egyptian forces - sometimes led by European officers, including British. Interestingly, his (& his successor') Sudanese forces never defeated the British army in a major engagement.
There are blacks in America who teach that blacks were running Egypt. These blacks had the power to fly. The English saw them as a threat so shot them out of the sky. Since then blacks lost the ability fly. I wish I was kidding.
And there are whites in America (USA) who teaches other whites that an invisible skyfather created the Universe in six days; and that earth is flat. Wish I was kidding....
Haven’t seen the video yet but just have to applaud any mention of this film, as someone studying history masters rn, i just love British historical epics, they’re fascinating and just super exciting to watch, love the book Queen Victoria’s Little Wars that covers a lot of wars like these. Haven’t seen many ppl discuss Khartoum tbh, also The Charge of the Light Brigade is a brilliant movie from that same era, also very underrated and surprisingly super accurate, did my bachelor’s thesis on the Crimean War
Hope you enjoyed my video & thanks for taking the time to comment. If you haven't already, please subscribe to my channel so you don't miss future videos.
Good morning, Chris, I was a bit late getting to this one. I always may sure I have time to watch it undisturbed. Because I am always enthralled by your telling of the story. And this was the same, just brilliant, I can see the charging Marhdi' as I write this. I could also feel that oppressive heat and the lack of water. Thanks again for another brilliant telling, Cheers
Brilliant video lecture on Hicks Pasha Sir. Vicissitudes seem to plague the man's campaign. Poor advice, doubting one's experience etc..What a tale ... Despite all hopes the man was a true Victorian Soldier. Thank you Sir for stating the facts so eloquently. Bravo!
Another excellent informative lesson, although confirming my increasing suspicion that the whole tone of the presentation from this channel betrays a true BBC style support for anyone who fought the British. Full of admiration for the enemy and thinly veiled contempt for anything done by Britain.
@@TheHistoryChap Much as I am of Scottish (and thus partly also British) ancestry, I am inclined to share at least part of 1davidpeter's misgivings about British colonialism and conquering for power and wealth in earlier centuries. This is not least enforced by the antipathy of your attacks on Denmark during the wars against France because you feared that we would join forces with the French and block your commercial interests in the Baltic. A scenario that Denmark at the time had no intention of as we didn't want to be involved in that war since we traded with both of you as the neutral country we were. But you did more or less achieve 2 results from those attacks on Denmark. A lot of civilian casualties in Copenhagen when you bombarded it, and a merciless hatred of Brits, leading to the very entente with France you had wanted to avoid. So despite your military victory in a secluded battle, you lost the overall purpose and our neutrality. Not the finest hour of the British kingdom despite your history books still claiming it as a victory all the way around, because Danes hated you with a vengeance for decades after that war. And you cannot deny the fact that even in those colonies you did have under your power, your reign was far from the most humane one. The way you treated Indians and Chinese and even British people in the American colonies can only be described as arrogant, degrading and harmful. Not that other colonisers were much better at it, but their behavior did not excuse your shameful politics and manners. Because shameful they were. Not only in hindsight today, but also at the time though the British government and it's administrations around the globe tried mightily to portray themselves as both humane and indiscriminant towards their subjects. And then I haven't even mentioned Africa as such yet, not forgetting the Southern part of that continent and the unwarranted waging of war against the Zulu's and other tribal nations that had no intention of doing anything towards you before you attacked them for wealth and land. Yes. I am pro British today. But I am not blind to their shameful past. Just as I am very well aware of our own Danish shameful colonising and slavetrading/holding back in the days. But let's be honest and face the harsch truth. Both Britain and Denmark have a lot to answer for in the eyes of history wether we want to or not.
Very good episode and thank you for it, I'm from Sudan and I really wanted to know more about Shaykan, you did a great job in explaining our shared history.... please continue.
Shaykan was the catalyst that drew Britain eyes into the region, and it really shows the important of logistics and soliders spirits...
Thank you for your work !
Thanks for watching.
I find it interesting how Britain got drawn in. it was like a series of dominos.
@@TheHistoryChapYep that great British ARROGANT pride which by 2023 has become a laughing stock to the rest of the world! 🤣
My late father, who was born in 1923, told me he, when in St. Johns Ambulance in the 1930s in Bournemouth ( the following might actually have been when he was in the Boy Scouts) he used to push old servicemen who had been in The Sudan War - in their wheel chairs ( these may even have been bath chairs). Needless to say, he was always amused at Corporal Jones in 'Dad's Army' talking about 'The Mad Mahdi', General Gordon, 'The Battle Of Omdurman' etc.
fascinating story. Thanks for sharing. have you seen my video about Lance Corporal Jones in the Sudan?
ua-cam.com/video/WL_F3E973bU/v-deo.html
Such a well presented series about the British/Egyptian Sudanese war.
Makes one look forward to your next instalment.
Thank you.
If you want you could say mahdist war it’s a bit easier
Chris, this video, like all the ones of yours I’ve seen, is terrific. Your narration is intelligent, and clearly the result of focused research. Marvelous content. Thanks for your work-it’s educational and entertaining!
Thanks for your kind words of support
Yep! Great stuff and I have only just become aware of Chris's videos. Subscribed! 🇬🇧
Truly
@@TheHistoryChap And thank you for not using AI, which always has terrible pronunciation.
Very good insight into how the British got involved in Sudan. Your series on the British involvement there are very good and well done.
Thanks you. Very kind.
Excellent as usual Chris, I especially like the use of old photographs. I'm Irish and was in London at the weekend & really got a feel for British history, with statues and buildings, wondering what London must have looked like in Victorian times. Thankfully relations between Ireland and Britain have improved enormously with the white hot tip of history having cooled a lot which allows for greater objectivity in relations. I toured the Palace of Westminster and walked Horse Guards Parade and found it all very interesting. Look forward to seeing more of Britain.
I would be keen to see some videos on British exploits in India & China in the 18th and 19th centuries. Particularly love the period around Gordon and saw Cleopatra's needle in London, donated by the Egyptians many years ago and sitting by the side of the Thames.
Sounds like you have a very hectic tour around London. Thanks for your support and I’m glad that you are enjoying my videos.
Here I am at 3:48 am USA central time watching this video. I couldn't stop at one. Well done as usual!! I will watch the rest when I wake up. Always a treat to watch your videos!!
Very kind of you. Thanks for your support.
HAHAHAH Me too, only it's 1:59 a.m. just outside Chicago.
Excellent video on a fascinating subject. I remember the film Khartoum very vividly. Along with Zulu it kickstarted my interest in the Victorian Colonial period.
Me too. Two great films.
@@TheHistoryChap I always rather found myself pitying Hicks. Even had he been the most brilliant commander in Victorian history, it would have made little to no difference with such a rabble of an army(some of the conscripts would go so far as to rub lime in their eyes and shoot off their trigger fingers to try and get out of service. The Bashi Bazouks would regularly operate more as thieves than soldiers), and the political pressures placed upon him to achieve a decisive victory soon all posed almost insurmountable tasks.
There are a few other fair to reasonably good films about Colonial 'little wars' such as The Four Feathers, 55 Days at Peking and Breaker Morant, but the period was only briefly fashionable for film makers. Now, with the left's historical revisionism, only 'white man bad' films are likely.
yeah the good old times when you could shoot a bunch of coloured "non british "(:-) and call yourself a hero !!
A conscripted army with very little training, poor logistics, defunct morale, andvHicks own arrogance sealed their fate. Hicks, although a good leader had been dealt a hand he couldn't win with. Thanks Chris, always a pleasure watching your videos.
Glad you enjoyed it. It was only as I researched that I changed my opinion on Hicks (rather like you, I think he was dealt a poor hand).
@@andyf10 that is why i said Hicks was arrogant.
Just fast forward to 2023 in the Russia vs Ukraine war. Prisoners, conscripts, discipline etc. It kinda sounds like history repeats itself in different countries, different eras but just as deadly
@patrickclune3600 : Almost similar to the Invasion of Iraq - a nation that had no connection to 9/11 - look at the end result.
Endless attacks, crimes, instability and worse than that, Daesh Terrorist Network and rivals battling for supremacy and autonomy : an episode that cost too much in terms of money, international relations and most devastating, human life.
@@Slavador2393😊
What an utterly superior documentary.
Thank you
If I remember correctly Sir Winston Churchill fought the Mahdi at the Battle of Omdurman during the late 1800s.
He had injured his right arm and was unable to draw his sword for the cavalry
charge; he drew his Model C96 Mauser pistol instead and shot his way through the charge. Thank you very much Chris for bringing us this account of the British Army fighting the Mahdi and the first of the revolts.
Great post. In the Omdurman campaign the enemy was the Khalifa, the Mahdi's successor. Churchill took part in the (rather misjudged) charge of the 21st lancers. Just one story of many in his amazing life!
Thank god for that C96!…different campaign, but very similar.
Correct except by the time of the Battle of Omdurman the Mahdi was long dead and it was his successor, the Khalifa, running Sudan.
Churchill fought agaisnt the Mahdi's successor the Khalifa Abdullahi. The Mahdi died shorlty after Gordon died.
Winston had dislocated his shoulder playing polo while stationed in India.
beautifully narrated. I am well encouraged to watch the rest of this interesting history telling
Thanks for your comment & for watching my video
My Great Grandfather served in Egypt 1882-1885 and fought in the battle of Tofrek.
Then you might enjoy my video about the battle of Tofrek:
ua-cam.com/video/hV3vFjxKaX4/v-deo.html
Amazing video and channel. British history has been something I never got to study in detail, and this channel so far has been a wonderful entry into this field.
Glad you are enjoying my videos.
british history mostly was very simple: Hand over your country,gold and diamonds and work for free or Mr Martini-Henry will talk to you!.He is very convincing
You have earned another Subscriber great job. I had not heard of these battles being from the U.S. but have always been fascinated by British, Scottish, Welsh and Irish History as that is where 85 percent of my Heritage comes from.
Thank you for your support
Thanks for this. For the first time I understand the background and development of this war. I need to study the history of Sudan up to the present disaster.
I'm from Sudan and I'd be glad to help if you ever need any 😊
Thank you for watching
Fantastic work, sir, on all your videos, so glad I discovered your channel. I remember visiting the Crypt in St. Paul's Cathedral when I was in London in December 2003 and marveled at the memorial plaque for the British correspondents killed in the Sudan. Frank Vizetelly (who died with Hicks Pasha) was of particular interest to me as he had covered the American Civil War and I portrayed a Harper's Weekly artist at battle reenactments across the US for many years. I would love to learn more about the names listed on that plaque at St. Paul's if you are ever so inclined. Once again, good show!
Thanks for sharing the US link to Frank V.
Excellent presentation, filling in a lot of blanks about the history of the British in Egypt.
Thanks for watching.
You always add detail and nuance, even to episodes I am familiar with.
Another very good job.
Very kind of you. Thanks
He left off the fact that the suppression of slavery by the Egyptians which angered Moslems. The Mahdi supported slavery, which helped fuel the revolt.
HE did indeed. However HE covered it in his video about Charles Gordon to which there was a link in the description
Every time I think he can’t make another excellent documentary…he proves me wrong!
Very kind of you.
Yet another excellent gem of forgotten British history
Glad you enjoyed it
As a Sudanese, this was A LOT more informative than what I was taught in School. Thank you for the entertaining and highly educational video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the fascinating historical story telling.
It was very interesting and entertaining.
Thank you for those kind words.
Having just rewatched Khartoum I was really looking for more background on Pasha Hicks, and, as ever, you did not disappoint!
Thanks for watching my video.
No matter what your opinion of England, we should all agree that the British Empire era of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, at its height in the 19th and very early 20th centuries, was the largest empire in history, and, for a century, was the foremost global power, should be admired by friend and foe alike.
Admired?
@@frankward8336Yes.
Definitely agree!
Largest and most powerful? Debatable, but possibly. Admired? Blargh, hell no! The British Empire is just like the Boomers. They absorbed and ruined everything they touched everywhere for everyone, and we're still paying for their rapacious greed today.
Admired for excessive greed, deceit, racism, murder and theft. Ok bro
Very good presentation Chris, I remember the line from the movie "don't you do a Billy Hicks on me!"
Oh I had forgotten that line...
Absolutely fascinating as you never get to hear about the Sudan, unless you buy lots of books. Realy enjoying this peice of history.
Glad you enjoyed it. Check out the others on my Sudan / Egypt playlist here on YT.
My college library (1963-1967) had the memoirs of Sir Evelyn Baring, which I used in a report of 1870-1914 British expansion.
An excellent narrative! Like many , my interest in this conflict started by watching the film Khartoum. I also read A Moorehead’s excellent The White Nile, which details the exploits of Gordon Pasha and the Mahdi. Well done, and many thanks! I’m looking forward to other videos- all the best!
Glad you enjoyed my video & for your feedback.
My great Grandfather was sent there 1884 for 2 years, Scot’s guards pipe major.
Thanks for sharing
Chris, I'm a resent subscriber.....and I'm so impressed with your docos, I'm in Oz & look forward to pouring a glass of cognac and sitting back to learn all about history.
thank you.
Sounds like a nice way to watch my videos! Thanks for your support
So glad to see you returning to the fascinating campaigns and stories in Sudan, sir. Also don't forget to cover the battle of Kirbekan and the stories of Major General William Earle later on!
I will add to the list.
Excellent video! You have a new subscriber from Birmingham. Birmingham, Alabama that is!
Thanks for your support
I use to watch in awe at that battle scene at the opening of the film Khartoum which I realise now was a little short of the truth.. and Gladstone later telling his commanders that were being sent to help rescue Gordon "don't do a Billy Hicks on me "
Thanks for contributing
EXCELLENT Video! I thoroughly enjoyed learning the history of this area!
Glad you enjoyed it
00:10
A superior film 🎥 to Zulu.
Underrated because of the unfortunate ending.
Brilliant performance by Sir Laurence Olivier.
So amazing acting, he was unrecognisable.
Whilst it is not 100% accurate it is a lot more accurate than "Zulu".
I'm 71 and a fan of History now a fan of your channel, looking forward to learning more, just read Mutiny on the Bounty, and Tobruk, now reading Breaker Morant, thank you for your videos,. now for some Charlton Heston (Chinese Gordon)
Glad you have found my channel. Here's today's video:
ua-cam.com/video/w8HSOnO-LxI/v-deo.html
Very nice video. I have been waiting for this one as you did a great job with the Anglo Egyptian war and then following up with Khartoum and Kitcheners revenge at Omdurman. However I have been dying for you to do one on the 2nd Anglo Afghan war. It’s a campaign that is hardly ever talked about, but in my opinion is one of GB’s best carried out and successful campaigns. Plus it features a great Victorian General of Frederick Bob Roberts.
2nd Anglo Afghan war is on my list. Please make sure you subscribe to my YT channel or sign up for my newsletter at my website so you don't miss it (www.thehistorychap.com)
Another BRILLIANT presentation!!!!! Again many thanks.
My pleasure. Please sign up for my newsletter at www.thehistorychap.com
I've no idea how this popped up as a suggestion but THANK YOU! This was fantastic.
Glad you enjoyed it. Please check out my other videos on my channel.
Nice narrative, I'm memorizing the article of this battle since I was in secondary school almost 17 years ago, despite Hicks pasha's army outnumbered the Mahadi's warriors and you can also observe the difference of the weapons, stick and swords against fire the Mahadi and his warriors win the battle due to the motives and reasons that you've mentioned in the video.
.Thank you
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment.
You're welcome but your videos are deserve to watch and give time
I have a Kaskara sword, my theory ( imagination) that it was a souvenir from the Sudan war. On doing a little investigation, it was used by camel riders and used as a downward slicing weapon, the ' balance ' is terrible but I could imagine devastating wounds to the unfortunate recipient.
The prince of Darfur (Ali Dinar) who killed by the British forces has been owning that kind of sword 1898-1916
Thanks Chris! Now the film makes sense! The cinematographer in me begs for some obscure technicolor wide screen observation, but I've nothing to add!
Thanks for watching and I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Amazing how Mr Heston looks like General Gordon.
Yes it is.
Wonderful account of British history! Keep them coming..... please.
I’m glad you liked it. Thanks for watching.
Merci pour cette brillante vidéo. L’Histoire est le meilleur roman jamais écrit !
My pleasure. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for a well-narrated (apart from your pronunciation of El Obeid!), historically accurate, and informative video. It's forty years since I visited the Shaykan battlefield while I was based in El Obeid. You could still find buttons and spent bullets if you raked through the sand. Desertification has played its role, and what was a forest in 1883 was just plain desert a century later. I seem to remember there was a plaque commemorating the battle fixed to a baobab tree , but that may be a false memory. Thanks again for an interesting video.
So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.
Another brilliant video Chris. There were 2 points regarding Col. Hicks and his ill-fated advance on El Obeid, which jarred my nerves:
1. Why was a Colonel in charge of a fighting formation which should have been commanded by a Divisional Commander?
2. The greatest friend or enemy in war is Mother Nature. I would fear the desert and would reject following a dried-up water course of the Nile as my unproven source for water. I would only consider this course of action if my own scouts could verify the existence of a plentiful supply of potable artesian water. Moreover, I would wish to minimise the effect of blistering heat on my soldiers by using the shortest route to the objective.
Vegetation at the objective provided cover for the Dervish. Never ever sacrifice fields of fire for cover. Defensive positions must accommodate the deployment of artillery so it can be used to maximum advantage. Digging in, although unpopular in the heat, might have been a safer option for Col. Hicks. The problem though was lack of water for his men to be able to dig in. Intelligent thought beforehand needed to be given to the disposition of Col Hicks' men overnight, which might be their fighting defensive positions for the next day.
The grades tied to formations wasn't the same as today. Brigades were often commanded by Colonels not Brigadier Generals. This was especially true when European officers commanded colonial troops or as mercenary officers in a smaller nation.
@@arthurmosel808 Arthur -- Thank you for explaining that. But in the case of Col. Hicks, this still meant he had little experience dealing with such large formations. Moreover, his army could still not be counted on under fire, with his soldiers probably resentful they had been pressed into service, with very poor morale due to lack of water. If Col. Hick's men had had cover from fire in their defensive position, and were properly deployed, they could have inflicted massive losses on the Dervish army. Had all rifles been bought to bear, with plenty of ammunition to hand, in the rapid fire mode, the Dervish enemy could have been routed. In defence of Col. Hicks, theory is always easier than being there, with little water, and heavily outnumbered by Dervish, who continue to pour crippling fire into Col. Hicks' troops. Col. Hicks deserves respect.
@@LaHayeSaint These were still single shot rifles and just a few years before the Zulus inflicted a severe defeat on British troops t hat had problems with cartridges over heating and not ejecting; and enemies close enough to cover a distance in a rush. These Egyptian troops were no where near as trained as the British troops who were overwhelmed and were facing an enemy just as furious and even more willing to die for their beliefs. I doubt that this force surrounded, weaken by little sleep and water could have stopped them. Remember just a few years later, a similiar force broke a British square. I doubt that the colonel's lack of experience was the deciding factor. Overconfidence would have been a definite factor as it was in the beginning stages of the Zulu War a few years earlier; remember no British officers had experience with the Moslem Sudanese or "Fuzzy Wazzies" as the British later called them. Kipling even extolled their bravery in one poem.
@@arthurmosel808 Arthur -- Based on what you say, firepower was insufficient for the Anglo-Egyptian force. But their defences seemed weak as they were sustaining numerous casualties from rifle fire. How do we change that? Col. Hicks did have artillery which would need to be actively employed out of range of enemy small arms fire. They would need a 360o arc and possibly a high angle of elevation of shot., although at El Obeid, old fashioned cannister fired at close range, might have been very useful indeed. For Col. Hicks' soldiers to be taking hits in a defensive position meant that the Dervish were close and the soldiers unprotected. They needed sandbags or to dig in. But with water scarce, both methods could result in the soldiers succumbing to heat stroke and dehydration before the Dervish attacked in force.
With Dervish reinforcements pouring in by the hour, and water running out, and with unsteady troops, something had to be done. Any ideas Arthur? Stand and fight, or withdrawal by night under cover of two of the guns firing?
Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment
Excellent once again Chris, many thanks.
My pleasure.
Very close to 100k subscribers Chris, well done! Was wondering if you will do a special video to mark the achievement?
What a great idea. if you have a subject in mind please send me an email via my website (www.thehistorychap.com)
Very interesting, thank you. Appreciate revisionist approach to Hicks.
Thanks for watching my video & your comment.
Well done. A good script, very professionally presented and an interesting piece of history. I think the entire Victorian and Edwardian era would offer many other subjects that would be excellent for your treatment.
Seem to have fallen into this period and lots of people enjoy it.
@@TheHistoryChap Barbara Tuchmann, Proud Tower is a superb book.
Also Tournament of Shadows by Karl Meyer. You've almost certainly read them.
for the begin you may choose the" Amritsar massacre (:-)
Excellent again. Every single one of your battles and features you have done I’ve been very interesting.. definitely keep up with the good work
Thank you. Please keep up to date with all my work by joining my weekly newsletter at www.thehistorychap.com
Very informative. Hicks' treatment is very reminiscent of Armstrong Custer What's the old Japanese proverb, "Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan"?
Thanks for sharing that quote. Very apt.
I’ve not heard that since the 1950’s from a form master at school
Japanese is it? I heard it originated from an Italian General in WW2, who'd probably know about the second part of the saying.
Good video, explains a lot about this strange episode, Hicks really had a well-armed and supplied army, even if it with low morale, but why he didn't use bashibozuks for reconnaissance, to camp inside a wooded area where he does not command the view of surrounding terrain was also not smart...he could have chosen a plateau or something at least near the source of water, his cavalry should explore where the water lies and lead the army there. If the guides deliberately lead him into the trap it reminds a lot of Varus defeat in Teutoburg.
Thanks and respect to the memory of Hicks Pasha
Thanks for watching.
We only know the propaganda. Hicks was probably a drunken as..h....e.
Fantastic lecture. Great video. Thank you.
You're very welcome!
Another good story Chris 👍. Any closer to getting the story about Piper Findlater? Had hoped I could show it to my father as Piper Findlater is a distant relative but sadly dad passed away at the end of March this year.
No closer. My research list will keep me going for years!
Another great tale, well told. Where ya gone, Chris? I kind of miss seeing you articulate the story. It's like teacher has left the room and we're left with
the TV, on that big old frame they used to wheel in. (You in the staff room, having a crafty Woodbine?) Heh! Heh!
Kind words indeed. Thanks for your support.
We abolished slavery at a eye watering cost to the British population. Got to give credit to the British.
You prosecuted slavery at an eye watering cost to the relatives of those who were enslaved. Your money is no comparison to the lives lost and destroyed by the evil of slavery
@@christopherogundare6049not 1 Brit alive today has ever enslaved anyone or had anything to do with any slavery
@@christopherogundare6049 Britain absolutely did not start slavery... It's as old as humanity. Even the transatlantic slave trade was originally a Spanish/Portuguese idea.
@@christopherogundare6049 erm…no, please read history books, not silly social media posts.
Can anyone of you deniers claim that Britain was not a slave economy in the 17th to 19th centuries. I do not mean that they started slavery globally but abolition was by no means a British initiative on its own. Several countries and kingdoms had also abolished slavery in history. I speak in contradiction to the term Britain abolished slavery. They also started enslaving people and that must not be whitewashed. Britain was the biggest slave economy at some point in the 18th century. Jamaica, Barbados, East Coast of the US, Antigua, Trinidad and Tobago and British West Indies as well as India (see Mauritius and Seychelles today) all bear the imprimatur of British contribution to slavery. Do not knit pick. Face the fact that Bristol and Liverpool are slave cities.
Could never see an entire Armys worth of armaments and equipment being left behind in a hostile country these days... 😏 And lets see what "their" current proxy debacle will reault in 🎉 Great video thanks.
Funny how history has a knack of repeating itself.
Are you talking about the recent US debacle in Afghanistan, by chance?
@@PaIaeoCIive1684And the U.S. NATO support of their proxy Ukraine against Russia.
Thanks so much as always Chris
My pleasure
My dad was briefly stationed in the Sudan at the end of the war. He befreinded the Hadendoa tribesmen whose grandfathers might well have fought against the British in the time of the Mahdi. The dervishes were no more savage than anybody else back in the day, and probably a lot better behaved than the bashi bazouks. It is so sad that Sudan is once again the site of proxy wars between foreign powers.
What a fantastic and thoughtful comment. Thanks for writing
Another fascinating and informative history lesson! Thank you!
My pleasure.
Reminds me of that general that once said war is a racket.
Other than some monetary gain of a few influential people back home, who most probably also owned the press, soldiers had to die in a far off country for no other reason than to keep a debtor in power.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Great video mate. You have a new subscriber from Australia!!
Thanks for the sub. I'm just 300 short of hitting 100k!
Basically this was the ISIS war before the ISIS war but when ISIS became a thing no one drew the parallels because no one readings history anymore.
Thanks for watching my video & your feedback.
Chris, thanks for another interesting episode.
My pleasure. Thanks for watching.
The only positive thing I have to say about the British involvement in such Imperial Wars is: They make Table-Top Wargames a little simpler. One does not have to factor in casualties. These battles are a fight to the last man. Otherwise, such battles are a brutal, barbaric arena of slaughter. There is much evil that men do.
Thanks for sharing your perspective. I guess war has always been barbaric.
britisho home is on british island not in Africa !
@@bartomiejzakrzewski7220 'British Island' has long been home to many peoples of many cultures. For example, my Father-in-law was born Kenyan. My Mother-in-law was born in India. My Aunt was born in Germany. My best friend's father was born in Eire. We all call 'British Island' home. I am not sure what is your point.
Thank you,..I've always wanted a good explaination for this.
Glad you enjoyed it
Excellent video 📹
Was the Mahdi a good calculating battle leader?
He never made made rash charges against brilliant European weapons.
He demolished two very good experienced British commanders.
Many British commanders would have been reluctant to risk their reputation whilst the Mahdi was alive.
If you was around then in Great Britain it was a dark period.
Doom and gloom in the officers barracks and the elite Gentlemen Clubs.
Nice fantasy, but that isn't how it worked out although the Mahdi proved a leader. Both commanders only had Egyptian troops under them and Gordon had only been sent in to get the small Egyptian garrison and Europeans at Khartoum out but they were not able to leave. The British begged Gordon to leave the city but he refused to abandon the Egyptians in Khartoum. Gordon held a hopeless position for one year. The British troops who had been reluctantly send to relieve Gordon but too late won several battles against the Mahdists (who made mass charges against British weapons) but it proved not worth the effort so the British left him in Sudan to which he suddenly died only six months after Gordon. As stated at the beginning, the British had no real interest in Sudan, it was an Egyptian thing, the biggest black eye on the Government was failing to act fast enough to save Gordon, not rescuing the Egyptians. However when they went back in the late 1890's the international situation had changed the British went in an and promptly destroyed the Mahadists who still charged against even better British Weaponry.
The armies that the Mahdi defeated were Egyptian forces - sometimes led by European officers, including British.
Interestingly, his (& his successor') Sudanese forces never defeated the British army in a major engagement.
Excellent and truly interesting video. Miss you though standing in front of your bookcases and relating parts of the story. Thanks for posting.
Oh, the library of books will make another appearance in the future.
There are blacks in America who teach that blacks were running Egypt. These blacks had the power to fly. The English saw them as a threat so shot them out of the sky. Since then blacks lost the ability fly. I wish I was kidding.
And there are whites in America (USA) who teaches other whites that an invisible skyfather created the Universe in six days; and that earth is flat. Wish I was kidding....
Ah yes, the black Cleopatra....
But the British won👍
@@Lassisvulgaris there are billions of human beings that believe that throughout the world.
@@nigelsheppard625 Really? Can you show your evidence,please...?
As a historian for 58 years, u made a subscriber outta me.
Thanks for your support.
Your storytelling is very entertaining!
I wish you were my history teacher back in school!
Many thanks
Excellent a new the history chap video
Hope you enjoy it.
Excellent presentation, thank you
My pleasure. Thank you for watching
the 1966 film “Khartoum” staring Charlton Heston is an excellent highly underrated film
One of my favourites. Have you seen my video about? Gordon of Khartoum?
Haven’t seen the video yet but just have to applaud any mention of this film, as someone studying history masters rn, i just love British historical epics, they’re fascinating and just super exciting to watch, love the book Queen Victoria’s Little Wars that covers a lot of wars like these. Haven’t seen many ppl discuss Khartoum tbh, also The Charge of the Light Brigade is a brilliant movie from that same era, also very underrated and surprisingly super accurate, did my bachelor’s thesis on the Crimean War
Hope you enjoyed my video & thanks for taking the time to comment. If you haven't already, please subscribe to my channel so you don't miss future videos.
Good morning, Chris, I was a bit late getting to this one. I always may sure I have time to watch it undisturbed. Because I am always enthralled by your telling of the story. And this was the same, just brilliant, I can see the charging Marhdi' as I write this. I could also feel that oppressive heat and the lack of water. Thanks again for another brilliant telling, Cheers
Thanks for your kind words. If you like my stuff then please sign up for my newsletter at www.thehistorychap.com
@@TheHistoryChap Done, cheers
It's absolutely fantastic..again! Thank you!!
My pleasure.
Thank you a lot for this brilliant class !
My pleasure. Please make sure that you subscribe to my YT channel.
@@TheHistoryChap I already fone (Sorry my awful English)
Another excellent presentation on a little understood war!
Thanks for watching.
Great documentary 👏 Thank you sir.
My pleasure. Thank you for watching
I *love* your story telling style. Just wonderful
Very kind of you. Thanks.
I missed the Sudan stories, thanks
Plenty to go at.
Brilliant video lecture on Hicks Pasha Sir. Vicissitudes seem to plague the man's campaign. Poor advice, doubting one's experience etc..What a tale ... Despite all hopes the man was a true Victorian Soldier. Thank you Sir for stating the facts so eloquently. Bravo!
Thanks for your support.
Hi History Chap. Very good documentaries! Thank you for that! Did you perchance read Thomas Pakenham's "The Scramble for Africa"?
Yes I have. Fascinating to read about the other colonial powers.
I very much enjoyed your video. Thanks.
My pleasure. Thank you for watching
another great video good job and hard work is greatly appreciated..
Thanks.
well represented and accurate. another great video from a historian who tells the truth. well done.
Thanks for watching. Appreciate your support.
exactly the kind of book I love to read. thank you for the introduction.
Thanks for watching
Very well written narration!
Glad you enjoyed it.
Once again well told and riveting to listen too👌❤️
Thank you.
Yes, another lesser known story, recounted very well indeed. Thank you.
I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.
Another excellent informative lesson, although confirming my increasing suspicion that the whole tone of the presentation from this channel betrays a true BBC style support for anyone who fought the British. Full of admiration for the enemy and thinly veiled contempt for anything done by Britain.
You are welcome to your opinion.
@@TheHistoryChap Much as I am of Scottish (and thus partly also British) ancestry, I am inclined to share at least part of 1davidpeter's misgivings about British colonialism and conquering for power and wealth in earlier centuries. This is not least enforced by the antipathy of your attacks on Denmark during the wars against France because you feared that we would join forces with the French and block your commercial interests in the Baltic. A scenario that Denmark at the time had no intention of as we didn't want to be involved in that war since we traded with both of you as the neutral country we were. But you did more or less achieve 2 results from those attacks on Denmark. A lot of civilian casualties in Copenhagen when you bombarded it, and a merciless hatred of Brits, leading to the very entente with France you had wanted to avoid. So despite your military victory in a secluded battle, you lost the overall purpose and our neutrality. Not the finest hour of the British kingdom despite your history books still claiming it as a victory all the way around, because Danes hated you with a vengeance for decades after that war.
And you cannot deny the fact that even in those colonies you did have under your power, your reign was far from the most humane one. The way you treated Indians and Chinese and even British people in the American colonies can only be described as arrogant, degrading and harmful. Not that other colonisers were much better at it, but their behavior did not excuse your shameful politics and manners. Because shameful they were. Not only in hindsight today, but also at the time though the British government and it's administrations around the globe tried mightily to portray themselves as both humane and indiscriminant towards their subjects. And then I haven't even mentioned Africa as such yet, not forgetting the Southern part of that continent and the unwarranted waging of war against the Zulu's and other tribal nations that had no intention of doing anything towards you before you attacked them for wealth and land.
Yes. I am pro British today. But I am not blind to their shameful past. Just as I am very well aware of our own Danish shameful colonising and slavetrading/holding back in the days. But let's be honest and face the harsch truth. Both Britain and Denmark have a lot to answer for in the eyes of history wether we want to or not.
Brilliant and Fascinating!!!!
Thank you.
I like your work. Thank you.
Another great video thank you
Glad you enjoyed it
Well done, I enjoyed!
Thank you for watching.
Your stuff is so good, thank you.
Thanks for your kind words of support