author
Earl of Evelyn Baring Cromer
1841–1917
A towering figure in Britain’s imperial history, he spent nearly a quarter century directing Egyptian affairs and left a legacy that is still debated today. Soldier, financier, and administrator all at once, he became known for the discipline and control he brought to government as well as for the limits he placed on Egyptian self-rule.
1 Audiobook
Political and Literary essays, 1908-1913
by Earl of Evelyn Baring Cromer
About the author
Born in Norfolk in 1841, Evelyn Baring came from the prominent Baring family and began his career in the Royal Artillery. He later moved into financial and administrative work, serving in India before taking on a major role in Egypt after the country’s financial crisis in the late 1870s.
As British agent and consul-general in Egypt from 1883 to 1907, he became the dominant force in the country’s government during the British occupation. Supporters credited him with restoring financial order and improving administration, while critics saw his rule as a clear expression of imperial control that held back Egyptian political independence.
After returning to Britain, he was created Earl of Cromer and remained active in public life and writing. He died in London in 1917, remembered as one of the most influential British administrators of his era and one of the most controversial figures in the history of modern Egypt.