Battle of the Pyramids

Battle of the Pyramids

The Battle of the Pyramids, also known as the Battle of Embabeh, was a military event where Napoleon and his troops fought in Cairo, Egypt. His triumph was credited to the massive divisional square, a battle formation. Bonaparte had suggested the invasion of Cairo in the beginning of 1798. If they could overtake Egypt it would give them a new source of income. His plan was approved and they set out on May 19, 1798, with about 400 ships and 30,000 soldiers. Egypt was guarded by Mamlūks, descendants of Muslim slave soldiers. Napleon mercilessly slaughtered them. Due to the desert landscape some of Bonaparte’s men died of dehydration, and some men commited suicide. The soldiers diet consisted mainly of grainy cakes and watermelon.

Next Napoleans troops moved closer to Cairo, and prepared to battle even more of the Mamlūks. At 2 am on July 21, the French army started the 12-hour trip to meet their enemy, positioned in front of Embabeh. Napoleon claimed that he encouraged his troops when he shouted “Soldiers! From atop these pyramids, forty centuries look down upon you!” Bonaparte had his troops arranged into 5 large squares that could fight in any direction. Each had six types of infantry deep on all sides and protected cavalry and transport located in the center. The squares expertly repelled the groups of Mamlūk horsemen, defeating them as they fought. After they had won, they killed, captured and dispersed even more Egyptians. In the end about 6,000 Egyptians were killed, and approximately several hundred French perished.