Ismail (1830–1895)

Khedive (governor) of Egypt 1866–79. A grandson of Mehmet Ali, he became viceroy of Egypt in 1863, and in 1866 received the title of khedive from the Ottoman sultan. He amassed huge foreign debts and in 1875 Britain, at Prime Minister Disraeli's suggestion, bought the khedive's Suez Canal shares for nearly £4 million, establishing Anglo-French control of Egypt's finances. In 1879 the UK and France persuaded the sultan to appoint Tewfik, his son, khedive in his place.