Boutros Ghali

This article is about the Egyptian politician. For his grandson, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, see Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
Boutros Ghali
Prime Minister of Egypt
In office
1908–1910
Preceded by Mustafa Fahmi Pasha
Succeeded by Muhammad Said Pasha
Personal details
Born 1846
Kiman-al-‘Arus, Beni Suef, Egypt
Died 21 February 1910 (aged 64-65)
Cairo
Religion Christianity

Boutros Ghali (1846 – 21 February 1910; Arabic: بطرس غالى‎) was the prime minister of Egypt from 1908 to 1910.

Early life

Boutros Ghali was born to a Coptic Christian family in Kiman-al-‘Arus, a village of Beni Suef, Egypt, in 1846.[1] His father was the steward of Prince Mustafa Fadil.[1] Boutros Ghali studied Arabic, Turkish, Persian, English, and French.[1]

Career

After graduation, Ghali became a teacher at the patriarchal school.[1] Ghali's public career began in 1875 with this appointment to the post of clerk in the newly constituted Mixed Court by Sharif Pasha.[2] Then he became the representative of the Egyptian government on the Commission of the Public Debt.[2] Ghali began to work in the justice ministry in 1879 and was appointed secretary general of the ministry with the title of Bey. His next post was first secretary of the council of ministers to which he was appointed in September 1881.[2] However, in October 1881 he again began to work in the justice ministry. Upon the request of Mahmoud Sami al-Barudi, Ghali was awarded the rank of Pasha, being the first Coptic recipient of such an honour in Egypt.[2] In 1886, he was appointed head of a commission for the selection of Sharia court judges, which was an unusual appointment due to his religious background, leading to protests by Muslims.[2]

Ghali's first ministerial portfolio was the minister of finance in 1893.[3] Then he was made foreign minister in 1894.[3] He was appointed prime minister on 8 November 1908, replacing Mustafa Fahmi Pasha.[4] He also retained the post of foreign minister during his premiership.[3] Ghali remained in office until 21 February 1910 and was replaced by Muhammad Said Pasha.[4]

Death

Ghali was accused of favouring the British in the Denshawai incident. On 20 February 1910, Ghali was shot by Ibrahim Nassif al-Wardani, a twenty-three year old pharmacology graduate,[5] who had just returned from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.[6] Ghali was leaving the ministry of foreign affairs when Wardani attacked him.[7] Ghali died on 21 February.[7]

The assassin who confessed to the killing of Ghali was educated in Lausanne, Paris and London and a member of Mustafa Kamil Pasha's Watani Party.[5] Wardani's father was a governor and his uncle was a pasha.[5] Wardani was executed on 28 June 1910.[7]

The assassination of Ghali was the first of a series of assassinations, which continued until 1915.[5] It was also the first public assassination of a senior statesman in Egypt in more than a century.[5]

Personal life

His grandson Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who was named after him, is the former deputy prime minister of Egypt and also, the former secretary-general of the United Nations.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "B. Ghali". The Coptic Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Seikaly, Samir (January 1977). "Prime Minister and Assassin: Buṭrus Ghālī and Wardānī". Middle Eastern Studies 13 (1): 112–123. doi:10.1080/00263207708700338. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Arthur Goldschmidt Jr. (1999). Biographical Dictionary of Modern Egypt. Boulder, CO: L. Reinner. p. 61. Retrieved 4 September 2013.  – via Questia (subscription required)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Egypt Prime Ministers". World Statesmen. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Reid, Donald M. (1982). "Political Assassination in Egypt, 1910-1954". The International Journal of African Historical Studies 15 (4): 625–651. doi:10.2307/217848. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  6. ↑ The Modern Middle East and North Africa by Aroian and Mitchell
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Egyptian assassin hanged". The Day (Cairo). 28 June 1910. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  8. ↑ Schmeman, Serge (20 July 2000). "A Separate Peace". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
Preceded by
Mustafa Fahmi Pasha		 Prime Minister of Egypt
1908–1910 		Succeeded by
Muhammad Said Pasha