The Battle of Tel El Kebir, 1882, British Seizure of the Suez Canal and Egypt as a "Protectorate"

With their decisive victory, Britain didn’t just seize control of Egypt—they claimed the lifeline of empire, the Suez Canal, placing a stranglehold on the heart of global trade. From this powerful perch, British influence rippled across the Middle East like an unstoppable force, bending the region to its will for nearly a century. Only in 1956, with the Suez Crisis, did Britain’s iron grip finally begin to slip, marking the end of an era of imperial dominance that had once seemed unshakable. ...