Egypt

• 1882


  - British troops defeat Egyptian army and take control of country.
• 1914


  Egypt formally becomes a British protectorate.
• 1922 - Fuad I becomes king and Egypt gains independence


  although British influence remains significant until 1950s.
• 1928 - Muslim Brotherhood founded by Hassan al-Banna


  who is killed in 1949. Campaigns to reorient Egypt and whole Muslim Middle East away from Western influence.
• 1948 - Egypt. Iraq, Jordan and Syria attack the new state of Israel.


  Egyptian army's poor performance increases unpopularity of King Farouk.
• 1949


  Committee of the Free Officers' Movement formed to overthrow corrupt monarchy.
• 1952 July


  Coup by the Free Officers' Movement. Farouk abdicates in favour of his infant son Ahmed Fuad II.
• 1953 June


  Coup leader Muhammad Najib becomes president as Egypt is declared a republic.
• 1954 - Evacuation Treaty signed. British forces


  who began a gradual withdrawal under 1936 treaty, finally leave Egypt.
• 1954 - Fellow coup leader Gamal Abdel Nasser becomes prime minister


  ruling unchallenged until his death in 1970.
• 1955 - Prime Minister Nasser reorients Egypt away from West towards neutrality


  buys arms from Communist Czechoslovakia to re-equip arm.
• 1955 Nasser attends the Bandung Conference


  establishing himself as a key player among countries remaining non-aligned in the Cold War
• 1956


  Nasser becomes President of Egypt ruling unchallenged until his death in 1970.
• 1956 July


  President Nasser nationalises the Suez Canal to fund the Aswan High Dam after Britain and US withdraw financing.
• 1956 October-November - Invasion of Egypt by Britain France and Israel


  Over nationalisation of Suez Canal fails through US opposition, greatly enhancing President Nasser's standing at home and abroad.
• 1958 - President Nasser steps up campaign to promote pan-Arab unity


  Most visible signs of which is brief United Arab Republic unitary state including Syria (1958-61). He also supports friendly elements in Lebanese and North Yemen conflicts, to little avail.
• 1961-66 - President Nasser adopts socialist policies


  Including nationalisation of industry and an ambitious welfare programme, combined with repression of Muslim Brotherhood and leftist opponents, in an unsuccessful attempt to boost the economy and the popularity of his government.
• 1962 onwards


  Egyptian intervention in the North Yemen Civil War
• 1967 May - Egypt expels UN buffer forces from Sinai and closes the Straits of Tiran to Israeli ships


  Sign defence pact with Jordan. Israel interprets this as preparation for war.
• 1967 June - Israeli pre-emptive attack


  Defeats Egypt Jordan and Syria, leaving it in control of Sinai up to the Suez Canal and Egyptian-occupied Gaza.
• Emergency Law largely suspends civil rights.


  Remains in force with brief break in early 1980s until 2012.
• 1967-1970


  War of Attrition against Israel
• 1970 September - Nasser dies


  Having never recovered his leading role among Arab states after the 1967 defeat, and is succeeded by Vice-President Anwar al-Sadat.
• 1972 - President Sadat expels Soviet advisers and reorients Egypt towards the West


  while launching an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to open the economy to market forces and foreign investment.
• 1970 December


  End of North Yemen Civil War
• 1973 October - Egypt and Syria go to war with Israel


  To reclaim land lost in 1967. Egypt begins negotiations for the return of Sinai after the war.
• 1975 June


  The Suez Canal is re-opened for first time since 1967 war.
• 1977 October - President Sadat visits Israel


  Beginning process that leads to 1979 peace treaty, return of occupied Sinai Peninsula, and Egypt's suspension from Arab League until 1989. Egypt becomes major beneficiary of US financial aid.
• 1981 October - President Sadat assassinated by Islamist extremists


  Month after clampdown on private press and opposition groups in wake of anti-government riots. Succeeded by Vice-President Hosni Mubarak.
• 1991 - Egypt joins allied coalition to expel Iraqi troops from Kuwait


  Benefited from major multilateral loans and debt relief in return, allowing government to launch another attempt at liberalising economy.
• 2011 January - Anti-government demonstrations


  Apparently encouraged by Tunisian street protests which prompted sudden departure of President Ben Ali.
• 2011 February - President Mubarak steps down and hands power to an army council.


  Goes on trial in August charged with ordering the killing of demonstrators.
• 2011 April-August - Protests continue in Cairo's Tahrir Square over slow pace of political change.


  Islamist groups come to the fore. Army finally disperses protesters in August.