A
local military caste, the Mamluks took
control about 1250 and continued to govern
even after the conquest of Egypt by the
Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion
of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became
an important world transportation hub;
however, the country also fell heavily
into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments,
Britain seized control of Egypt's government
in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the
Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially
independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt
acquired full sovereignty following World
War II. Between 1924-1936 there existed
a short-lived attempt to model Egypt's
constitutional government after the European
style of government; known as Egypt's
Liberal Experiment. In 1952 a popularly-supported
military coup d'état forced King
Farouk I, a constitutional monarch, to
abdicate in support of his son King Ahmed
Fouad II . Finally the Egyptian Republic
was declared on 18 June 1953 with General
Mohamed Naguib as the first President
of the Republic.
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