Modern Era
Anglo-Egyptian War (1882): Urabi Revolt and British Occupation
British victory; Urabi was exiled and Britain occupied Egypt, keeping troops there until 1956.
Region
Africa
Modern Era
Siege of Khartoum (1884-1885): General Gordon and the Mahdi
Mahdist victory; Khartoum fell on 26 January 1885, Gordon was killed and the British relief expedition withdrew.
Modern Era
Berlin Conference (1884-1885): Rules for the Partition of Africa
The General Act of Berlin set rules for new claims on African coasts, declared free trade in the Congo basin and smoothed recognition of Leopold II's Congo.
Modern Era
Congo Free State (1885-1908): Leopold II's Rubber Terror
International outrage over forced labour and atrocities led Belgium to annex the territory as the Belgian Congo in November 1908, ending Leopold II's personal rule.
Modern Era
Cecil Rhodes and the British South Africa Company (1889)
The chartered British South Africa Company occupied Mashonaland in 1890 and Matabeleland in 1893, ruling the territories named Rhodesia until 1923-1924.
Modern Era
First Matabele War (1893): The Fall of Lobengula's Kingdom
The British South Africa Company destroyed the Ndebele kingdom, occupied Bulawayo and opened Matabeleland to white settlement; Lobengula died in flight in early 1894.
Modern Era
Jameson Raid (1895-1896): The Failed Coup Against the Transvaal
The raiders surrendered at Doornkop; Rhodes resigned as Cape premier and Anglo-Boer relations were badly damaged.
Modern Era
Anglo-Zanzibar War (1896): The Shortest War in Recorded History
British victory within about 40 minutes; Khalid fled and the pro-British Hamud bin Muhammed became sultan.
Modern Era
Battle of Adwa (1896): Ethiopia's Victory Over Italian Invasion
Decisive Ethiopian victory; Italy recognised Ethiopia's full independence in the Treaty of Addis Ababa (October 1896).
Modern Era
Benin Expedition of 1897: The Sack of Benin City and Its Bronzes
Benin City was captured and burned, the Oba was exiled, the kingdom was annexed and thousands of royal artworks were taken to Europe.
Modern Era
Fashoda Incident (1898): Britain and France Clash on the Nile
France withdrew from Fashoda; the 1899 Anglo-French convention left the Nile basin to Britain and paved the way for the Entente Cordiale.
Modern Era
Battle of Omdurman (1898): Kitchener's Conquest of the Sudan
Decisive Anglo-Egyptian victory; the Mahdist state collapsed and Sudan came under joint British and Egyptian rule.