Isma'il Pasha of Egypt

For other people with the same name, see Ismail Pasha (disambiguation).

For the Hungarian-born Ottoman general and the Egyptian astronomer, see György Kmety and Ismail Mustafa al-Falaki.

"Khedive Ismail" redirects here. For other uses, see Khedive Ismail (disambiguation).

Isma'il Pasha إسماعيل باشا
Khedive of Egypt and Sudan
Reign	19 January 1863 – 26 June 1879
Predecessor	Sa'id (as Wāli) (unrecognized Khedive of Egypt)
Successor	Tewfik
Born	(1830-12-31)31 December 1830 Cairo, Egypt Eyalet, Ottoman Empire
Died	2 March 1895(1895-03-02) (aged 64) Constantinople, Ottoman Empire
Burial	Al-Rifa'i Mosque, Cairo, Egypt
Spouse	Shehret Feza Hanim Jananiyar Hanim Jeshm Afet Hanim Shafaq Nur Hanim Gulhiste Hanim Gulendam Hanim Nur Felek Qadin Misl Melek Qadin Jihan Shah Qadin Bezmi Alem Qadin Hur Jenan Qadin Jamal Nur Qadin Ferial Qadin Misl Jihan Qadin Neshedil Qadin Felek Naz Qadin
Issue	Tewfik, Khedive of Egypt Hussein Kamel of Egypt Fuad I of Egypt Prince Ibrahim Ilhami Pasha Prince Ali Jamal Pasha Prince Hassan Ismail Pasha Prince Mahmud Hamdi Pasha Prince Reshid Ismail Bey Princess Tawhida Hanim Princess Fatima Hanim Princess Zainab Hanim Princess Jamila Fadila Hanim Princess Amina Hanim Princess Nimetullah Hanim Princess Amina Aziza Hanim
House	Alawiyya
Father	Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt
Mother	Hoshiyar Qadin
Religion	Sunni Islam

Isma'il Pasha (Arabic: إسماعيل باشا Ismā‘īl Bāshā; 25 November 1830 or 31 December 1830 – 2 March 1895), also known as Ismail the Magnificent, was the Khedive of Egypt and ruler of Sudan from 1863 to 1879, when he was removed at the behest of Great Britain and France. Sharing the outlook of his grandfather, Muhammad Ali Pasha, he made Egypt and Sudan more competitive during his reign, investing heavily in industry, urbanization, and the expansion of the country's boundaries in Africa.

In 1867, in exchange for a hefty financial compensation to the Ottoman Sultan, he secured a firman for the recognition for his title of Khedive (Great Master/Sovereign Prince) in preference to Wāli (Governor), which was previously used by his predecessors in the Eyalet of Egypt and Sudan (1517–1867), and also for the exclusivity of the transfer of this title to only his direct descendants, thereby excluding all other members of Muhammed Ali's family from the line of succession. However, Isma'il's policies placed the Khedivate of Egypt and Sudan (1867–1914) in severe debt, leading to the sale of the country's shares in the Suez Canal Company to the British government, and his ultimate toppling from power in 1879 under British and French pressure.

The city of Ismailia is named in his honor.