1517

Egypt incorporated into the Turkish Ottoman Empire.

1798

Napoleon Bonaparte's forces invade Egypt. British and Turkish forces defeat the French in 1801 and restore Ottoman rule of Egypt.

1805-1952

Muhammad Ali, Albanian governor of Egypt, embarks on modernizing effort and establishes a dynasty.

1859-69

Egyptians build the Suez Canal. Egyptian debt from canal construction contributes to transfer of canal ownership to the British.

1882 – 1922

British place Egypt under nominal rule, establishing a protectorate in 1914. Egypt gains nominal independence with Fuad I as King  in 1922.

1948 - 1949

Egypt participates in the first Arab-Israel war. Hassan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, is assassinated. Free Officers' Movement forms.

1952 – 1953

Muhammad Najib becomes president after a coup by the Free Officers' Movement, ends the monarchy, and declares Egypt a republic.

1954-1956

British forces leave Egypt in 1954. Free Officers’ leader Gamal Abdel Nasser becomes president, ruling unchallenged until his death in 1970.

1956

Nasser nationalizes the Suez Canal to fund Aswan High Dam construction. Britain, France and Israel respond by invading Egypt. President Eisenhower opposes the invasion, and a ceasefire is declared.

1967

Israel defeats Egypt, Jordan and Syria in Six-Day War, occupying Sinai, the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

1970 - 1971

Nasser dies and Anwar al-Sadat takes power. The Aswan High Dam is completed, providing irrigation and hydroelectric power.

1973 - 1978

Egypt launches Yom Kippur War against Israel to reclaim land lost in 1967. Suez Canal re-opens in 1975. Egypt and Israel sign Camp David Accords in 1978.

1981

Anwar al-Sadat is assassinated. Hosni Mubarak takes power and declares emergency rule.

2005

Groups demonstrate for national election reform. Mubarak is re-elected for a fifth consecutive term with his National Democratic Party (NDP) in parliamentary majority. Muslim Brotherhood candidates take 20% of seats as independents.

2007 - 2009

Parliamentary elections result in NDP majority. Opposition newspapers protest imprisonment of journalists. US President Obama gives speech in Cairo.

2011

Tunisian street protests inspire demonstrations in Egypt calling for Mubarak to resign. President Mubarak hands power to a Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. Mubarak and his sons are arrested and charged.

2012

Islamist parties win parliamentary elections, and Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi wins the presidency. Military leaders end the emergency law. Courts, executive, military and entrenched elements compete for power.

2013

President Morsi ousted by popular protests and military leaders.