Battle of Aboukir
The Battle of Aboukir, fought on July 25, 1799, was a significant conflict in the struggle for control of Egypt during the period of French occupation. It marked the Ottomans' first substantial attempt to reclaim Egypt from French forces, which had been under Napoleon Bonaparte's control since 1798. Following treaties with France’s adversaries, Great Britain and Russia, the Ottomans mobilized the Army of Damascus and the Army of Rhodes to retake the territory. However, despite initial successes, including the capture of Aboukir Castle, the Ottomans faced a devastating defeat when Napoleon counterattacked with rapid maneuvers, leading to the disintegration of the Ottoman forces. The battle resulted in heavy casualties, with thousands either killed or drowned while trying to retreat. Ultimately, while the French secured a victory, the conflict did not eliminate Ottoman or British resistance to French interests in Egypt. This battle exemplifies the complex military and political dynamics of the era, highlighting the Ottoman Empire's challenges in asserting its influence in a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape.
On this Page
Battle of Aboukir
Type of action: Ground battle in the War of the Second Coalition
Date: July 25, 1799
Location: Along the coast west of Aboukir Bay
Combatants: 11,000 French vs. about 15,000 Ottomans
Principal commanders:French, Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821); Ottoman, Mustafa Pasha
Result: French forces rout Ottoman army
The Battle of Aboukir marked the first effort of the Ottoman Empire to retake the province of Egypt from French forces, which had occupied the province since 1798. The Ottomans had not been amused by Napoleon I’s protestations of friendship for the sultan and signed treaties early in 1799 with France’s enemies, Great Britain and Russia. The Ottomans organized the Army of Damascus, which would advance overland into Egypt as the Army of Rhodes crossed by sea to the Egyptian coast.
Napoleon Bonaparte campaigned in Palestine to counter the Ottoman strategy. Failure to take the port of Acre made permanent occupation of a Palestinian buffer impossible, but at the Battle of Mount Tabor, Napoleon and General Jean-Baptiste Kléber scattered the Army of Damascus, led by Mustafa Pasha. On July 14, a month after the French returned to Cairo, the Ottoman Army of Rhodes began to land on the shores of Aboukir Bay. After seizing Aboukir Castle at the west end of the bay, the Ottomans made no further attempt to advance. Napoleon rapidly brought forces north and attacked the Ottoman lines on July 25. In a matter of hours, the Army of Rhodes disintegrated. Perhaps 2,000 were killed. Twice as many drowned trying to swim back to the ships, and the remainder surrendered after a week under siege in Aboukir Castle.
Barely two weeks later, Napoleon slipped away to France, a larger field for his ambition, leaving behind the great majority of the French expeditionary force.
Significance
France’s victory disrupted but did not end Ottoman (and British) opposition to its position in Egypt.
Bibliography
Herold, J. Christopher. Bonaparte in Egypt. London: H. Hamilton, 1962.
Muir, Rory. Tactics and the Experience of Battle in the Age of Napoleon. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1998.