WI Gordon Had Been Relieved at Khartoum In 1885?

Anaxagoras

Banned
IOTL, the British relief expedition advancing to relieve Charles Gordon (under siege with a force of Egyptian troops at Khartoum by the fanatical armies of the Mahdi) arrived just a few days too late to effect his rescue. When the city fell, Gordon entered history at the great Victorian Christian martyr.

What if Gordon had been relieved in time?
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
Glastone remains in power in 1885

Almost certainly. That would, by itself, have pretty massive reprecussions.

I think the Mahdist state would collapse fairly quickly, but that the British and Egyptians wouldn't much bother with the Sudan for some time, as they had more pressing business.

With Gordon himself, things will be murky. On the one hand, he will likely be lionized by the British public as the hero of the hour. But the British government and many in the army will see him as a half-crazed fool. This will lead to interesting complications.

Culturally, the rescue of Gordon will deprive the Victorian Age of its great martyr and Christ-figure.
 
Without a martyred Gordon (the British public would probably ignore the killing of the Egyptian Army, the European traders etc in Khartorum and Sudan that followed the mahadist takeover) the British Empire may chose to involve itself less in Egypt than it did. IOTL Egypt was modernized and armed (as described by Kipling in "Pharaoh and the Sergeant" - http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/pharaoh_and_sergeant.html) to stand against any potential Mahdi aggression.

On the other hand - Britain was determined to keep the Suez channel, and any Mahdi attack would be a danger. To let "natives" defeat the Empire, even Egyptians that were clients of the Emipre, was dangerous because other "natives" could get ideas of rebellion. So a British campaign against the mahadists were probably determined no matter Gordons fate - and using Egyptians were the most cost-efficient way.

Gordon would be toast for disobeying orders - but several heads could roll with his. Both the political and military leadership were on purpose very vague about his mission, which could lead to several types of political crises.

Just two big potential butterflies: Churchill made a lot of first impressions from the campaign against the Mahdis in 1898, not only the battle of Omdurman but also his first book, "The River War". Secondly the Fashoda incident partly went peacefully since the British arrived at Fashoda directly after Omdurman with overwhelmingly superiority. Otherwise it could have ended far less aminiable.
 
Just two big potential butterflies: Churchill made a lot of first impressions from the campaign against the Mahdis in 1898, not only the battle of Omdurman but also his first book, "The River War". Secondly the Fashoda incident partly went peacefully since the British arrived at Fashoda directly after Omdurman with overwhelmingly superiority. Otherwise it could have ended far less aminiable.

Actually these may not be butterflied away. The 1885 relief of Khartoum may result in the rescue of Gordon, but its unlikely that the Mahdist Army will be defeated or driven from the field. Wolseley will his relief column will just pull out of Khartoum since they pretty much have no other orders but that - and Sir Garnet is not going to take a loose interpretation to things as Gordon did.

The recent remake of the movie 'Four Feathers' basically ends with the British withdrawing from the Sudan, which is entirely different than the earlier movie which include the Battle of Omdurman. The Fashoda Incident was entirely sparked by Marchand's march to the Nile which was the original reason Kitchener had been sent to invade the Sudan. Control of the Nile is important to maintaining power in Egypt and the Canal.
 
Actually these may not be butterflied away. The 1885 relief of Khartoum may result in the rescue of Gordon, but its unlikely that the Mahdist Army will be defeated or driven from the field.

Indeed. The "relief column" was not strong enough to fight the full Mahdi army led by the Mahdi himself, but instead relied on the bizarre assumption that a squad of red coats would frighten the mahadists away (and on quick steamboats to evacuate Gordon). After conquering Khartorum (which was both the Egypian capital of Sudan and the only remaining Egyptian forces in Sudan) the mahadists wouldn't fade away but be a threat to Egypt itself - thereby drag England into the war once more.

But without a dead Gordon a lot of things could be butterflied beetween his evacuation and the final British attack on Sudan. It could be seen as far less important, thereby not involving Churchill. Parcipiating and writing about the revenge for Gordon would be far more interesting than just another war against natives. Also, the British may have allotted far less troops to the war leaving far less troops to continue to Fashoda. Showing up with a company of Egyptian troops instead of batallions of British would not be as impressive to the French.

Another more clear issue: Wolseleys influcence and position was badly hurt due to the failure to save Gordon (and also Wolselys attempts to put the blame on the local commander Wilson), thereby weakening both his and his "Ashanti Ring" of former subordinates standing in the army. Instead Roberts advanced and Kitchner made his career on defeating the Mahdi army. Not only the political leadership would be different with a living Gordon, but also the army.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
Indeed. The "relief column" was not strong enough to fight the full Mahdi army led by the Mahdi himself, but instead relied on the bizarre assumption that a squad of red coats would frighten the mahadists away (and on quick steamboats to evacuate Gordon). After conquering Khartorum (which was both the Egypian capital of Sudan and the only remaining Egyptian forces in Sudan) the mahadists wouldn't fade away but be a threat to Egypt itself - thereby drag England into the war once more.

IOTL, the Mahdists did try to invade Egypt a few years later and received a severe beating for their pains.
 
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