Osman Digna facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Osman Digna
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Osman Digna in old age
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| Born | c. 1840 Suakin |
| Died | 1926 |
| Allegiance | Mahdist State |
| Years of service | 1883–1899 |
| Rank | Emir |
| Battles/wars | |
Osman Digna (Arabic: عثمان دقنة) (around 1840–1926) was an important military leader in Sudan. He followed Muhammad Ahmad, who was known as the Mahdi. Osman Digna became the Mahdi's most famous general during the Mahdist War. He played a big part in the events involving General Charles George Gordon. He also helped end the rule of the Turkish-Egyptian government in Sudan.
In Britain, Osman Digna became a well-known figure. People saw him as a strong and respected warrior. Winston Churchill described him as a "clever" and "careful" man. Churchill even called him "the celebrated, and perhaps immortal, Osman Digna."
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Early Life and Joining the Mahdi
Osman Digna's father was from Kurdish people. His mother was from the Hadendoa tribe, part of the Beja people. He was likely born in Suakin, a town in Sudan. His first name was Osman Ali.
He lived in Alexandria, Egypt, for a time. There, he was involved in trade. After the English stopped this business, he joined Ahmed 'Urabi's revolt. This revolt aimed to change the government in Egypt. When the revolt failed at the Battle of Tel el-Kebir in 1882, Osman Digna moved to Sudan. He then joined the cause of the Mahdi.
Around this time, he got the name "Digna." This name means "the bearded one" in Arabic. It was given to him because of his full beard. He quickly became the leader of a strong army near Suakin.
Key Battles and Victories
Osman Digna's first major fight was in 1883. He tried to capture a fort held by the Turks at Sinkat. His first attack failed, but his forces eventually took the fort after a long siege.
He achieved a big victory at the First Battle of El Teb. On February 4, 1884, his forces defeated a much larger Egyptian army. This army was led by Baker Pasha near Tokar.
However, a new British-Egyptian force arrived soon after. They wanted to fix the situation. Osman Digna was defeated by General Graham at the Second Battle of El Teb. This battle also took place near Tokar.
Facing the British Forces
Both sides took time to rebuild their armies. General Graham then launched another attack. He wanted to completely defeat Osman Digna. At the Battle of Tamai, the Mahdist forces found a weak spot in the British lines. They managed to break through a British infantry square. This was a very rare achievement.
The Mahdists almost cut off parts of the British force. But the British managed to regroup and hold their ground. The Mahdists faced heavy fire from the sides and were finally defeated. Even though he lost, Osman Digna and his troops gained a strong reputation. The British saw them as incredibly brave fighters. Their fighting skill is even mentioned in Rudyard Kipling's poem "Fuzzy-Wuzzy".
Despite these defeats, Osman Digna remained in charge of his supporters. General Graham later left the area. Osman Digna quickly rebuilt his army. He even presented the Battle of Tamai as a victory. He claimed the British had run away "in fear." He told the Mahdi that he had caused many casualties to the British. In reality, the British campaign had not achieved much. Osman Digna still controlled Sinkat, Tokar, and the route between Suakin and Berber.
This situation made things difficult for General Gordon. He was trapped in Khartoum and could not get help. After Khartoum fell to the Mahdists and Gordon died, Osman Digna was given Gordon's watch and sword. He showed these items to the Mahdists in Suakin as proof of their victory.
Later Military Actions
Osman Digna continued to serve under the Mahdi's successor, Abdallahi ibn Muhammad, known as the Khalifa. The Khalifa launched more military operations in the years that followed.
In 1885, Osman Digna led a Mahdist force into Ethiopia. However, he was defeated by the Ethiopian general Ras Alula. This happened at the Battle of Kufit on September 23.
In December 1888, he fought at the Battle of Suakin. He tried to capture the local water forts. He suffered a big loss against General Grenfell and was wounded in the arm.
Until 1891, Osman Digna kept leading Mahdist forces in eastern Sudan. He fought off Egyptian forces. In February 1891, a combined British-Egyptian force captured Tokar. Many local tribes then left the Mahdists. This forced Osman Digna to retreat to the mountains.
Final Years and Capture
After these events, Osman Digna remained a leader in the Mahdist army. However, he was less involved in the final battles. These battles led to the defeat and death of the Khalifa.
When the British, led by Herbert Kitchener, moved into Sudan in 1898, the Khalifa sent a force. This force was led by Emir Mahmud Ahmad. It was meant to join Osman's army. Osman wanted to outsmart Kitchener by moving his forces to Atbara. The Khalifa approved this plan. But Mahmud disagreed with Osman's idea to move even further upriver. Instead, Mahmud built a strong defensive camp at Atbara.
This camp became an easy target for Kitchener. At the Battle of Atbara, Kitchener launched a heavy attack. The Mahdist position quickly fell apart. Osman Digna managed to lead a few thousand warriors to safety in the south. Most of the other Mahdist fighters were killed or captured. This included Mahmud, who was taken prisoner.
In 1899, Osman Digna fought in the last campaign of the Mahdist forces. Their strength had been broken the year before at Omdurman. At the Battle of Umm Diwaykarat, Osman Digna was injured. But he was the only leader who escaped and kept fighting. He tried to reach safety in the Hejaz.
However, on January 19, 1900, he was captured near Tokar. He was sent as a prisoner to Rosetta in Egypt. He stayed in prison for eight years. After his release, he remained in Egypt until he passed away in 1926.
See also
Images for kids
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Emir Mahmud, a Mahdist leader, as prisoner after the Battle of Atbara, photograph by Francis Gregson, 1898
