A familiar face in history, but one often overlooked in the books: Mohamed Naguib. One of the fathers of the 1952 revolution — referred to as a coup d’etat in more political cloisters — and Egypt’s first president is an enigmatic figure, overshadowed intentionally by his successor and fellow Free Officer Gamal Abd el-Nasser. Although both are considered the first Egyptian rulers since antiquity to seize sovereignty of the state, the reality is that Naguib’s legacy is a largely forgotten one. Be it an intentional disregard or an unfortunate consequence of Abd el-Nasser’s charismatic, seductive pan-Arab ideology, Naguib has faded into obscurity for the most part. An obscurity that does not suit one of Egypt’s central military powerhouses. Here is the story of an unsung, decorated president; here is the story of Mohamed Naguib. From Childhood to Major General Born 19 February 1901 in Khartoum, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Naguib’s household enjoyed military potential early on. His father, Youssef Naguib, was a ranking officer of the Egyptian Armed Forces; their lineage was a rich one, famed for its military contributions spanning generations. Mohamed Naguib was the eldest of nine, and attended military…
