The Last Khedive of Egypt: Memoirs of Abbas Hilmi II, Amira Sonbol ed. The American University in Cairo Press, 2006 Don't judge this book by its faded cover. It is rich in content and casts fascinating revelations on the reign of Abbas Hilmi II the last khedive of Egypt before the 1919 Revolution. It is an era which has been largely neglected, merely alluded to by Western historians from the imperialist point of view, and by Egyptians from a nationalist, Nasserist perspective. Here, at last, is a fascinating insight into a period of renewal during his reign (1892-1914). Egypt's economic debt had been paid off. The price of cotton was good. Industrialisation had begun. The stock exchange was being created, and there was a revival of political awareness with some 30 magazine and newspaper titles running off the press. This was a lively time in the nation's history both economically and culturally for Egyptians and the large foreign community, with first class singers and entertainers, fine arts and architecture, and an interest in Egyptology. It was Abbas Hilmi II who unveiled the statue of the French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette, the celebrated founder and preserver of Egypt's monuments, in the garden of the newly constructed Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square in 1904, where newly discovered objects on display included the ceremonial palette of Narmer, discovered by Quibell in 1894, and a horde of royal mummies excavated by Loret from the tomb of Amenhotep II in the Valley of the Kings between 1897 and 1899. These memoirs, written after Abbas Hilmi left Egypt, and derived from a complete record of the ruler's archives preserved at the University of Durham Library, provide a unique resource for the history of Egypt during one of its most important periods. These are the memoirs of a caring man, desirous of reform and with definite, progressive ideas. His writings might sound apologetic at times, and somewhat elitist in tone in others, but it is clear that Abbas Hilmi II never thought of, or indeed referred to, himself other than an Egyptian nationalist, not as a Turk but as a king -- a young king who came to the throne at the age of 17 and witnessed the growth and development of a strong nationalist movement to which he gave both covert and active support. Although his views emerge at odds with many other nationalists, Abbas Hilmi managed to lift the entire Mohamed Ali dynasty from the dark shadow in which it has been cast. The truth is that nationalism appeared in many guises in fin-de-siècle Egypt, and the division was mainly along class lines. After all, Abbas Hilmi wrote, all Egyptians wanted independence from foreign rule, but there was disagreement as to how this should be achieved and what form the government should take. French claims to Egypt, dating from the days of Dual Control, were finally waived in favour of the British under the terms of the 1904 Entente Cordiale. Abbas Hilmi formally recognised Britain's special position in Egypt in 1905 by a khedival decree but, despite his relative youth, he nevertheless made a determined if short-lived attempt to limit British influence. To no avail, for during Lord Cromer's consulship Egypt was brought under even stronger control. Abbas Hilmi recalled his dealings with various British High Commissioners: Lord Cromer, whom he regarded as an old-fashioned imperialist and who, in turn, saw Abbas as a francophile nationalist; Sir Eldon Gorst who gave more sympathetic support to national aspirations and worked well with Abbas Hilmi--even though he was not an active supporter of nationalist aspirations; and Lord Kitchener, commander-in-chief of the Egyptian army, whom Abbas Hilmi regarded as an extremely difficult man to deal with and with whom he had bitter (and unforgotten) words. Kitchener introduced several restrictions on the powers of the khedive, removed him from the automatic right to preside at cabinet meetings, muzzled the press, and, following an assassination attempt on Abbas Hilmi's life, when he was in Istanbul for medical treatment in 1914, established a protectorate over Egypt. Soon afterwards the British officially deposed Abbas Hilmi in favour of his uncle, Hussein Kamil. Abbas Hilmi describes his meetings with European monarchs who regarded him as their equal; he felt himself beleaguered by rising popular movements that called on the mass to revolt against monarchical regimes; and although he saw these masses as "his people" whom he wished to protect and to guide, he did not surrender his claims to the throne until 1931--even then he was not reconciled to this decision and apparently nurtured hopes of a restoration. He eventually settled in Switzerland. In her introduction the editor, Amira Sonbol, writes: "personal prejudice... played as large a part in the picture presented by Egyptian historians as it did in the portrayals by Western historians whether they supported colonial rule or were apologetic about it... The memoirs of Abbas II provide us with one of the missing elements: the view from the throne, an unexplored aspect of all Egyptian or Middle Eastern reigns before the Second World War." This book, which is highly recommended, provides a window on the mechanics of the strained relations between a sovereign and the power occupying his country. Abbas Hilmi's memoirs, which begin with a moving if somewhat wordy tribute to his "Grandsire, Khedive Ismail", are rich in personal accounts, were dictated by the khedive to his secretary several decades after he had been exiled from Egypt in 1914. Written in Arabic and over a period of time and originally published in Rose El-Youssef, they were translated into French from which the present English translation derives. The Last Khedive of Egypt has been brilliantly translated and edited by Sonbol, professor of Islamic history, law and society at Georgetown University in the United States. Additionally, Sonbol has provided historical notes including details of the persons mentioned in the text. Reviewed by Jill Kamil
