The Wingate Literature Revisited: The Sudan As Seen by Members of the Sudan Political Service during the Condominium: 1899-1956

• Published in: Middle Eastern studies Vol. 41; no. 3; pp. 373 - 389
• Main Author: Warburg, Gabriel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Ltd 01.05.2005; Frank Cass & Co
• Subjects: Civil service; Colonial government; Colonial history; Condominiums; Egypt; Empires; Historical Development; Leadership; Muslims; Nineteenth century literature; Political extremism; Political history; Political parties; Propaganda; Public administration; Sectarian violence; Slavery; Sudan; War
• ISSN: 0026-3206; 1743-7881
• DOI: 10.1080/00263200500106008

The Wingate Literature focuses on the involvement of Major Reginald Wingate, head of intelligence in the Egyptian army during the Mahdist revolt and the Mahdist state, with the 19C Mahdiyya in the Sudan. Following the Anglo-Egyptian conquest of Sudan in 1896-1898 and the founding of the Condominium, Sir Reginald Wingate, who succeeded Lord Kitchener as governor general of Sudan in the years 1899-1916, encouraged and contributed to a second wave of politically motivated literature written primarily by members of the Sudan Political Service, SPS. Its aim was to tell the truth, as seen by Wingate and his fellow administrators, about the benefits derived by the Sudanese from enlightened British administration. It emphasised the intense harm which Egypt had done to Sudan in the 19C and warned against Egypt's designs for the future unification of the Nile Valley. In a way, this new wave of writings on Sudan, inspired by Wingate and other senior members of the SPS, may be viewed as an extension of the 19C Wingate Literature.