FRANCE, Premier République. Directoire. 1795-1799. Æ Medal (38mm, 25.19 g, 12h). Arrival of Napoléon in Alexandria. By Kempson and Kidon of Birmingham? Dated 2 July 1798. NAPOLEONE BUONAPARTE GENERAL OF THE FRENCH ARMY IN EGYPT, bust of Napoléon facing, head left, wearing military uniform / Two tents, cannon, pile of arms, and stacks of cannonballs before pyramid; LANDED AT ALEXANDRIA/ JULY 2nd 1798 ·/ MDCCXCIX. Hennin 847; Julius 620. EF, scattered marks.
The Directoire, at the behest of Napoléon, initiated an invasion of Egypt in the spring of 1798. The government hoped to remove the troublesome general from France, while at the same time promoting French scientific and economic interests in the Middle East. Thus, on 19 May, the army embarked from Toulon, only being informed of the ultimate destination just before they boarded the ships. After quickly capturing Malta, the French forces landed at Alexandria on 1 July and met minimal resistance. Moving quickly against the Mamluk rulers of Egypt and their British allies, Napoléon engaged in the two major battles mark this phase of the campaign: the Battle of the Pyramids, in which the French army secured control of the country, and the Battle of the Nile, in which the British navy soundly defeated the French fleet, effectively stranding the French army.
While consolidating control in Egypt, Napoléon remained concerned over possible Ottoman retaliation. Word soon reached the general that two invasion forces were en route, from Rhodes by sea and from Syria by land. As he would be vastly outnumbered in the coming engagement, he elected instead to attack Syria, in hopes of catching his enemy off guard. The French forces met with initial success at Jaffa and Mount Tabor, but the invasion later stalled and the army met defeat at the siege of Acre. Leaving the sick and wounded in Syria, Napoléon rushed back to Egypt, where he hurriedly prepared to meet the second Ottoman assault, defeating them in the Battle of Abukir. Despite his brilliant successes on the field, the general realized that his army’s strength was failing, and political necessities called him back to France. Napoléon left Cairo in August 1799, having transferred his power to Jean Baptiste Kléber.
