The French Expedition to Egypt and Syria (1798-1801), led by Napoleon Bonaparte, aimed to establish a French colony in Egypt and to threaten British possessions in India. Despite initial French victories, the campaign ultimately ended in failure, and Egypt remained under Ottoman control. The expedition also led to the discovery of the Rosetta Stone and the birth of modern Egyptology.
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Definition
Timeline
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May 1798 - Sep 1801Napoleon's Campaign in Egypt and Syria serves as a catalyst for the formation of the Second Coalition.
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19 May 1798The French fleet carrying Napoleon Bonaparte and the Armée d'Orient sets out for Egypt.
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10 Jun 1798Napoleon Bonaparte captures Malta and expels the Knights of St John.
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2 Jul 1798Napoleon Bonaparte captures Alexandria in Egypt.
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21 Jul 1798The Battle of the Pyramids, fought between French and Mamluk forces, results in a decisive French victory.
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24 Jul 1798Napoleon Bonaparte enters Cairo.
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1 Aug 1798The French fleet anchored at Aboukir Bay is completely destroyed by a British fleet under Horatio Nelson at the Battle of the Nile.
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3 Mar 1799 - 7 Mar 1799The Siege of Jaffa results in a French victory; thousands of Ottoman prisoners are subsequently massacred.
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20 Mar 1799 - 21 May 1799The French unsuccessfully lay siege to Acre, and are forced to retreat; Napoleon Bonaparte's Syrian campaign is ended.
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16 Apr 1799Napoleon Bonaparte defeats an Ottoman army at the Battle of Mount Tabor.
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15 Jul 1799The Rosetta Stone is rediscovered by Pierre-François Bouchard, an officer in Napoleon's army.
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23 Aug 1799Napoleon Bonaparte leaves Egypt for France, abandoning his army in Alexandria.
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14 Jun 1800General Jean-Baptiste Kléber, commander of the French Army of Egypt, is assassinated in Alexandria.
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17 Aug 1801 - 2 Sep 1801The Siege of Alexandria results in a French defeat and an inglorious end to Napoleon's Campaign in Egypt and Syria.
