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Hilmi Pasha Abbas IIThe last (3rd) Khedive of Egypt (January 8, 1892 – December 19, 1914), great-great-great-grandson of Muhammad Ali.
Date of Birth: 14.07.1874
Country:  Egypt |
Content:
- Abbas Hilmi II: The Last Khedive of Egypt
- Accession to the Throne
- Reign and Conflict with Britain
- Deposition and Exile
- Personal Life
- Death and Legacy
Abbas Hilmi II: The Last Khedive of Egypt
Early Life and EducationAbbas Hilmi II was born on January 8, 1892, as the great-great-grandson of Muhammad Ali, the founder of Egypt's Muhammad Ali dynasty. He was the son of Khedive Tewfik of Egypt.
In his youth, Abbas Hilmi II visited England and had an English tutor in Cairo. He became fluent in Arabic, English, French, German, and his native Turkish. He later attended school in Lausanne, Switzerland, and then the Theresianum in Vienna.
Accession to the Throne
On January 7, 1892, while Abbas Hilmi II was studying in Vienna, he received news of his father's death. He immediately returned to Egypt and assumed the title of Khedive.
Reign and Conflict with Britain
As Khedive, Abbas Hilmi II sought to maintain an independent policy from British influence. In 1903, he traveled to Istanbul with Mustafa Kamil to petition for Egyptian autonomy. This action brought him into conflict with the British Resident in Egypt, Lord Cromer.
In 1913, Abbas Hilmi II promulgated a constitution that provided for the creation of an Egyptian parliament. However, this move further alienated him from the British.
Deposition and Exile
On December 19, 1914, Abbas Hilmi II was deposed by the British and replaced by Hussein Kamil as Sultan. He was exiled to Geneva, Switzerland.
Personal Life
Abbas Hilmi II was married twice. His first marriage was to Ikbal Hanım, a Crimean Tatar, in 1895. They had six children. His second marriage was to May Torok von Szendro, a Hungarian noblewoman, in 1910. This marriage was childless and ended in divorce in 1913.
Death and Legacy
Abbas Hilmi II died in Geneva on December 19, 1944. He is remembered as the last Khedive of Egypt and a symbol of Egyptian resistance to British influence.
