Abbas I of Egypt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Abbas Helmy Iعباس الأول |
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| Wāli of Egypt and Sudan | |
| Reign | 10 November 1848 – 13 July 1854 |
| Predecessor | Ibrahim I |
| Successor | Sa'id I |
| Born | 1 July 1812 Jeddah, Emirate of Diriyah |
| Died | 13 July 1854 (aged 42) Banha, Egypt Eyalet, Ottoman Empire |
| Burial | Hosh al-Basha Mausoleum of Imam al-Shafi'i, Cairo, Egypt |
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| Arabic | عباس حلمي الأول |
| House | Alawiyya |
| Father | Tusun Pasha |
| Mother | Bamba Qadin |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
Abbas Helmy I (also known as Abbas Pasha) was an important ruler of Egypt and Sudan. He was the Wāli, which means governor, of these regions from 1848 to 1854. Abbas was the grandson of Muhammad Ali Pasha, a very powerful leader. He took over the rule after his uncle, Ibrahim Pasha, passed away. Some people thought he undid the progress made by his grandfather.
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Early Life and Becoming Ruler
Abbas was born on July 1, 1812, in Jeddah. He grew up in Cairo, the capital of Egypt. As a young man, he gained experience fighting in the Levant region. He served under his uncle, Ibrahim Pasha, during the Syrian War.
His grandfather, Muhammad Ali Pasha, stepped down from power in September 1848 due to health reasons. Ibrahim Pasha then became the ruler, but he sadly died soon after in November 1848. This meant Abbas I became the new Wāli of Egypt and Sudan. He officially took the throne in August 1849 and ruled until July 1854.
Changes Made by Abbas I
Abbas I was often described as a quiet person who preferred to stay in his palace. He made many changes to the way Egypt was run. He tried to undo some of the things his grandfather, Muhammad Ali, had started.
For example, he stopped the government's control over trade. He also closed down many factories and schools that had been built. Abbas reduced the size of the army to about 9,000 soldiers. He also stopped the building of the Delta Dam and was against building the famous Suez Canal. Some people at the time said he didn't start any big new projects or build new canals.
Dealing with Other Countries
Abbas I was not very welcoming to foreign business people who wanted to make money in Egypt. He made it harder for them to operate there. Because of this, British trade policies became unfriendly towards Egypt. They limited how much corn could be exported from Egypt.
However, the British government insisted that he allow a railway to be built. This railway would connect Alexandria to Cairo. In return, the British helped Abbas with a disagreement he had with the Ottoman Empire.
Because Abbas was not keen on European influence, many Europeans did not like him. His reputation was sometimes made to seem worse than it actually was. After he died, the number of Europeans living in Egypt grew a lot.
Egypt's Role in the Crimean War
During the Crimean War, Abbas I helped the Ottoman Sultan, Abdulmejid I. He sent his naval fleet, which included 12 warships, to assist. He also provided a large number of troops, about 19,000 soldiers, and 72 guns.
Abbas gathered many of these new soldiers from the Sinai region. He met with local Bedouin leaders to ask for men, especially cavalry (soldiers on horseback), for the war. The total number of Egyptian troops sent to help in the war later increased to between 40,000 and 55,000.
His Love for Horses
One of Abbas's biggest passions was breeding Arabian horses. He continued a special horse breeding program that his grandfather, Muhammad Ali, had started. Abbas was very good at finding and developing high-quality horse bloodlines. His work had a huge impact on modern horse breeding.
Both Muhammad Ali and Abbas knew how special the horses bred by the Bedouin tribes were. They paid close attention to their family trees. When Abbas was 23, he was put in charge of his grandfather's horse breeding program.
When he became ruler, Abbas bought even more horses. He carefully wrote down the history and bloodlines of each animal. These records are still kept today. He even got some horses from the Nejd region through a connection with Faisal Ibn Saud. He also paid very high prices for the best female horses from the Anazeh people.
Abbas built huge stables for his horses in three different places. One of these horse farms was said to have cost a lot of money to build. He hired Bedouin people to look after the horses and keep track of their bloodlines. He spent a lot of money to make sure his horses were well cared for. At one farm, he even kept 300 camels just to provide extra milk for the young foals.
How Abbas I Died
Abbas I died on July 13, 1854. He was murdered in his palace in Benha by two of his own slaves. It is believed that his harsh treatment of his servants might have been a reason for the murder.
After Abbas died, his uncle, Said Pasha, became the new ruler. Said Pasha was actually younger than Abbas.
Abbas's Arabian horses were inherited by his 18-year-old son, Damad Prince Ibrahim Ilhamy Pasha. However, his son was not very interested in the horses. He gave some away and put the rest up for auction. Later, in 1861, a relative named Ali Pasha Sherif bought about 40 of Abbas Pasha's original horses. He then worked to rebuild the famous horse breeding program.
Honours
| year | name | Nation | Ribbon |
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| 1849 | Order of the August Portrait | Ottoman Empire | |
| 1849 | Order of Glory | Ottoman Empire | _-_ribbon_bar.png){kind=small} |
| 1853 | Order of Nobility, 1st Class | Ottoman Empire | |
| Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, Grand Cross | Kingdom of Sardinia |  |
See also
In Spanish: Abbás I de Egipto para niños
