Khedive: Ruler of Egypt!

A Khedive was a very important title, like a special badge for a leader! It was used for rulers in the Ottoman Empire, but most famously for the leaders of Egypt for a long time. Think of it like being the captain of a big ship, but instead, you're leading a whole country! This title was used in Egypt from 1805 all the way to 1914. That's longer than your grandparents have been alive!

The word 'Khedive' is super old and comes from a language called Persian. It was first used in poems way, way back, like over a thousand years ago! Later, it became a special word for important people in the Ottoman Empire.

Then, a leader in Egypt named Muhammad Ali Pasha started using it for himself, even though it wasn't official at first. It was like him saying, 'I'm in charge, and this is my special title!'

The most famous Khedives were the rulers of Egypt. They were like viceroys, which means they were the top boss in Egypt, but they still answered to the Ottoman Empire. The title was officially approved by the Ottoman government in 1867. So, for many years, the Khedive was the main person making decisions for Egypt, building new things, and leading the country. It was a very powerful job!

Once the title of Khedive was official in Egypt, it was used by a few different leaders. The first one to officially use it was Isma'il Pasha, and then his family members used it after him. They were like a royal family, with the title being passed down from father to son. This continued until 1914, when Egypt's situation changed, and the title of Khedive was no longer used.