Journal, in Italian, recording the invasion of Egypt by Napoleon covering the period 1796-1801 written by Alexandro Buccianti in c1847 with an English translation of the journal made by Alfred Hall in 1901. The journal is written as an eye witness account although it is likely that Alexandro Buccianti supplemented the account from other sources as well.
Alexandro Buccianti Collection
This material is held atMiddle East Centre Archive, St Antony's College, University of Oxford
- Reference
- GB 165 0416
- Dates of Creation
- c1847
- Name of Creator
- Language of Material
- English
- Physical Description
- 2 boxes
Scope and Content
Administrative / Biographical History
Alexandro, Buccianti (b.c1772)
Alexandro Buccianti arrived in Egypt on 27 Jan 1795 to stay with his uncle George F. Buccianti 'who enjoyed a comfortable fortune, and honourable posts' and who was later (in 1798) acting British Consul when George Baldwin left Egypt owing to ill health. In the preface to his journal Alexandro Buccianti explains that from the arrival of Napoleon's Army onwards he kept 'precise note of all which took place' and 'in the various journeys which I undertook into the interior of the country...the collection of such material was facilitated and considerably augmented'. According to the preface Alexandro Buccianti was provoked into writing this account due to an erroneous reverence and celebration of 'Mohamet Ali'caused by accounts written from 'inexact sources, impure basis, from party spirit; which departed far from the historical exactness and truth which the Public had a right to expect'. Thus 'seeing the growth in honour of the so-called "Regenerator of Egypt", of huge tomes, and observing how public opinion was thus being outraged and deceived, I threw aside every restraining influence, and decided to give to the world this present work...'
Access Information
Open
For further information on how to use the Middle East Centre Archive, please see our Archon entry at http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/a/A13531965
Acquisition Information
Received as a loan from Mr Griffiths Lawson-Hall on 17 Jul 2007
Other Finding Aids
Archivist's Note
Fonds level description created by Debbie Usher 4 Jan 2008. Biographical history created from information provided by Mr Griffith Lawson-Hall and his daughter Claire Bolton and details gleaned from the English translation of the journal.
Conditions Governing Use
No restrictions on copying or quotation other than statutory regulations and preservation concerns
Custodial History
In the possession of the Buccianti family and their descendents