Abu Qir Bay
Encyclopedia
The Abū Qīr Bay ' onMouseout='HidePop("61204")' href="/topics/Arabic_transliteration">transliterated
: Khalīj Abū Qīr) is a spacious bay on the Mediterranean Sea
in Egypt
, lying between Abu Qir
(Near Alexandria
) and the Rosetta
mouth of the Nile
. It contains a natural gas
field, discovered in the 1970s.
On August 1, 1798, Horatio Nelson fought the Battle of the Nile
, often referred to as the "Battle of Aboukir Bay". (The latter title is applied more properly to an engagement between the French expeditionary army and the Ottomans
fought on July 25, 1799.)
On 1 March 1801, some 70 British warships, together with transports carrying 16,000 troops, anchored in Aboukir Bay near Alexandria
. The intent was to defeat the French expeditionary force that had remained in Egypt after Napoleon's return to France.
Bad weather delayed disembarkation by a week, but on the 8th, Captain Alexander Cochrane
of HMS Ajax
directed as 320 boats, in double line abreast, brought the troops ashore. French shore batteries opposed the landing, but the British were able to drive them back and by the next day all of Sir Ralph Abercromby
's British Army was ashore. The British then defeated the French army at the Battle of Alexandria
. The Siege of Alexandria
followed, with the city falling on 2 September 1801.
Arabic transliteration
Different approaches and methods for the romanization of Arabic exist. They vary in the way that they address the inherent problems of rendering written and spoken Arabic in the Latin alphabet; they also use different symbols for Arabic phonemes that do not exist in English or other European...
: Khalīj Abū Qīr) is a spacious bay on the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, lying between Abu Qir
Abu Qir
Abū Qīr is a village on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, northeast of Alexandria by rail, containing a castle used as a state prison by Muhammad Ali of Egypt....
(Near Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
) and the Rosetta
Rosetta
Rosetta is a port city on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt. It is located east of Alexandria, in Beheira governorate. It was founded around AD 800....
mouth of the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
. It contains a natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
field, discovered in the 1970s.
On August 1, 1798, Horatio Nelson fought the Battle of the Nile
Battle of the Nile
The Battle of the Nile was a major naval battle fought between British and French fleets at Aboukir Bay on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt from 1–3 August 1798...
, often referred to as the "Battle of Aboukir Bay". (The latter title is applied more properly to an engagement between the French expeditionary army and the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
fought on July 25, 1799.)
On 1 March 1801, some 70 British warships, together with transports carrying 16,000 troops, anchored in Aboukir Bay near Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
. The intent was to defeat the French expeditionary force that had remained in Egypt after Napoleon's return to France.
Bad weather delayed disembarkation by a week, but on the 8th, Captain Alexander Cochrane
Alexander Cochrane
Admiral Sir Alexander Forrester Inglis Cochrane GCB RN was a senior Royal Navy commander during the Napoleonic Wars.-Naval career:...
of HMS Ajax
HMS Ajax (1798)
HMS Ajax was an Ajax class 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. She was built by John Randall & Co of Rotherhithe and launched on the Thames on 3 March 1798...
directed as 320 boats, in double line abreast, brought the troops ashore. French shore batteries opposed the landing, but the British were able to drive them back and by the next day all of Sir Ralph Abercromby
Ralph Abercromby
Sir Ralph Abercromby was a Scottish soldier and politician. He rose to the rank of lieutenant-general in the British Army, was noted for his services during the Napoleonic Wars, and served as Commander-in-Chief, Ireland.He twice served as MP for Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire, and was...
's British Army was ashore. The British then defeated the French army at the Battle of Alexandria
Battle of Alexandria
The Battle of Alexandria or Battle of Canope, fought on March 21, 1801 between the French army under General Menou and the British expeditionary corps under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, took place near the ruins of Nicopolis, on the narrow spit of land between the sea and Lake Abukir, along which the...
. The Siege of Alexandria
Siege of Alexandria
The Siege of Alexandria was fought between 17 August and 2 September 1801, during the French Revolutionary Wars, between French and British forces and was the last action of the Egyptian Campaign. The French garrison at Alexandria surrendered on 2nd September...
followed, with the city falling on 2 September 1801.