1888–1892 Sudan famine

none 1888–1892 Sudan famine The Mahdist State, 1881-98, modern Sudan.png The maximum extent of the Mahdist State from 1881 to 1898, with national boundaries as of 2000 displayed. 4 years 1888-1892 Sudan War, migration, drought, British blockade ~ 1,500,000 The 1888–1892 Sudan famine also known as the Famine of the Year Six was one of the most devastating famines which affected the whole of Sudan. The famine killed around 1,500,000 Sudanese and was caused by the ongoing Mahdist War, heavy drought and migration. Background Mahdist War The Mahdist revolution which began in 1881 and was led by a Muslim cleric Muhammad Ahmad who declared himself as a Mahdi. He composed an Islamic army and declared an holy war against the Ottoman-Egyptian rule in Sudan in order to overthrow the current government and establish an Islamic state. From 1885 until the end of the Jihadist rebellion in 1898 the Mahdist government controlled and maintained sovereignty over most of the Sudanese state.Cartwright Mark Mahdist War: Holy War in Sudan, 1881-99 https://www.worldhistory.org/Mahdist_War/ World History Encyclopedia 16 April 2026 en 14 April 2026 During the late 1880s the Mahdist state was facing serious political and military challenges. While fighting the Egyptian army in the northern and eastern parts of the country, The Mahdist army had to also suppress the ongoing revolt in Darfur as the Fur sultanate was trying to rebuild itself after being conquered by the Mahdists.Weiss Holger The 1889-90 Famine and the Mahdiyya in the Sudan: An attempt to implement the principles of an Islamic economy Studia Orientalia 1 January 1999 85 180–183 https://journal.fi/store/article/view/44006 en 2323-5209 The famine Main reasons for the famine was a high migration from Darfur towards Omdurman and a severe drought which hit Sudan in 1888.Weiss 1999 180 The current political hardships combined with heavy losses against Ethiopia and The Anglo-Egyptian army lead the leader of the Mahdists Abdallahi ibn Muhammad to call for an enforced migration of his own Tai'sha tribe and their neighboring Baggara tribes towards Omdurman.Weiss 1999 181 The great tribal migrations, heavy drought and a total crop failure led to Sudanese food supplies depleting and the famine becoming uncontrollable.Young Helen Osman Abdul Monim Aklilu Yacob Dale Rebecca Badri Babiker Fuddle Abdul Jabbar Abdullah Darfur: Livelihoods Under Siege June 2005 Feinstein International Famine Center 16 https://fic.tufts.edu/publication-item/darfur-livelihoods-under-siege/ 16 April 2026 In 1890 Lord Kitchener commanding the British and Indian forces in Suakin,closed the port of Suakin,and stopped grain exports to the Mahdist state, which worsened the ongoing famine. The drought brought in locust swarms which destroyed remaining crops. The Mahdist state struggled feeding the dying civilian population while maintaining a massive army, which was fighting against the Fur sultanate and Anglo-Egyptian army.Sudan's descent into famine https://liberationorg.co.uk/comment-analysis/sudans-descent-into-famine/ Liberation 16 April 2026 12 February 2024 Other factions contributing to the famine were a severe Cholera epidemic and Rinderpest epidemic among cattle which lead to pastoralists not being able to buy wheat or sorghum.Embodying honor: fertility, foreignness, and regeneration in eastern Sudan 9780299223847, 9780299223809, 9780299223830 https://dokumen.pub/embodying-honor-fertility-foreignness-and-regeneration-in-eastern-sudan-9780299223847-9780299223809-9780299223830.html dokumen.pub 16 April 2026 en The famine was devastating to the whole of Sudan and killed around 1,500,000 Sudanese people.Historic Famines https://worldpeacefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Historic-Famines-synthesis-table-191224.pdf World Peace Foundation 16 April 2026 2 References Category:1880s famines Category:1890s famines Category:Famines in Sudan Category:1880s in Sudan Category:1890s in Sudan