the first printing press in Egypt

Napoleon Bonaparte's Egypt campaign in 1798 lead to the establishment of the first printing press on the African continent, preceding the well-known Egyptian Bulaq Press established by Muhammad Ali Pasha al-Mas'ud by over two decades. The press was predominantly formed to print proclamations and official statements in French with Arabic translations, that were often poorly translated and rife with grammatical error, for use as political propaganda for Napoleon's campaign in Egypt.

The present example is a rare ephemeral broadside, being a 'firman' legal proclamation announcing to the provinces of Egypt that Abd'ullah Jacques Menou is the General en Chief to the Republique Francaise. No other copies have been located.

Jacques-François de Menou, Baron of Boussay, later known as Abdallah de Menou, (3 September 1750 – 13 August 1810) was a French statesman and general of Napoleon during the French Revolutionary Wars, most noted for his role in the Egyptian Campaign conducted between 1798 and 1801. In 1798, Menou commanded one of the five divisions of the Armée d'Orient in Napoleon's campaign of Egypt. After the assassination of Jean-Baptiste Kléber (14 June 1800), Menou succeeded him at the head of Egypt as general in chief. He was not as popular as Kléber, and lacked support from the other officers. He married the daughter of a rich Egyptian, Zubaidah bint Muhammad El Bawwab, converted to Islam and was renamed Abdallah. In March 1801, Menou commanded the French expeditionary force sent to repel British forces landing at La Muiron, however the French were defeated and Menou withdrew to Alexandria, where he surrendered following the Siege of Alexandria on 30 August 1801. Menou was permitted then to evacuate the remaining French forces, but handed over the infamous Rosetta Stone in exchange, the discovery of which had been reported to him by Captain Pierre-François Bouchard and a monumental descovery that became a vital key to understanding the lost language of hieroglyphics.

Single broadside, printed in parallel French and Arabic text, with manuscript additions in Arabic and French, type-set printed in dual French and Arabic presented in two columns, framed within a wood-block printed border with a Napoleonic engraving at the top, leaf with wide margins (uncut), a little creased at outer edges and with fold lines along central horizontal and vertical folds, small annotation in Arabic to verso, overall very good condition. Dimensions; 630 x 450mm (24¾ x 17¾ inches).