Romolo Gessi facts for kids
Romolo Gessi (born April 30, 1831 – died May 1, 1881), also known as Gessi Pasha, was an Italian soldier and explorer. He also served as a governor in the Turkish-Egyptian government. Gessi explored the White Nile river in Sudan and modern Uganda during the 1800s.
He was born in Ravenna, Italy. His father was Italian, and his mother was Armenian from Istanbul. Gessi gained his military skills by joining a group of volunteers led by Garibaldi in 1859 and 1860. Many of these volunteers, including Gessi, later became regular soldiers in different armies.
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Romolo Gessi: Soldier and Explorer
Gessi fought alongside British forces in the Crimean War (1854–1855). This is where he first met General Charles George Gordon. Gordon later described Gessi as a very determined and clever man. He said Gessi was a "born genius" for practical ideas and mechanics.
Exploring the White Nile
In 1876, Gessi worked for Governor-General Gordon in the Turkish Sudan. He explored the White Nile river in an area called Bahr El Jebel. He also mapped how the river flowed from Lake Albert.
After this, he traveled into the land of the Oromo people. He later became the governor of the Bahr-el-Ghazal province.
Fighting the Slave Trade
As governor, Gessi worked hard to stop the slave trade in his province. He also helped with the trade of gum arabic, which is a natural product. Gordon saw Gessi as a very skilled person, even if they sometimes had different ideas.
Gessi's Final Journey
In 1880, Gessi was returning to Khartoum. His boat got stuck for three months in a swampy area called the Sudd. He became very ill during this time. This sickness led to his death shortly after he reached Suez.
In 1881, Muhammad Rauf Pasha took over from Gordon in Khartoum. He appointed Frank Lupton to be the new governor of Bahr el Ghazal after Gessi's death.
After Romolo Gessi died, his son Felice published his father's memories. The book was called Sette anni nel Sudan egiziano (Seven Years in Egyptian Sudan) and came out in 1891.
