The double rule system worsened the condition of Egypt. Heavy taxes were imposed on the wealthy persons and the salaries of the soldiers could not be paid. It created discontentment in the country.
People began to demand that Egypt should be for Egyptians. At last the Arabs of Egypt resented the foreign intervention under the leadership of Arabi Pasha and revolted on 9th September, 1881.
Army also supported him and five thousand soldiers laid siege to the palace. The rebels demanded that the number of soldiers should be increased, foreign secretaries ousted national committee be organised. Seeing the increasing influence of Arabi Pasha, Ismail Pasha appointed him his War Minister.
England and France could not tolerate this act of Arabi Pasha and decided to crush his power. It created a great disturbance in Egypt on 11th June in which fifty Europeans were killed and many were injured.
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On this the Britishers decided to carry out bombardment of Alexandria. But France did not agree to this proposal. Hence England had to be the entire burden and dropped bombs on Alexandria, but even then the Arabs did not lose courage.
They declared a never-ending war against England but they had to surrender soon. Thus the control of England Egypt was established and she became the de facto ruler of Egypt. Fran was very much pained at this turn of affairs.
She had not taken any p in this war, therefore, she lost all her influence in Egypt and at lastaccording to a pact of 1904 the control of England over Egypt accepted.