Egypt

In 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte led a French military expedition to Egypt with the purpose of threatening Britain's empire in India. His troops were victorious in the Battle of Chobrakit and the Battle of the Pyramids. But on August 1, 1798, all but two French vessels were sunk by a British fleet. The expedition turned out to be a rare failure for Napoleon. His army plagued by disease, Napoleon abandoned his troops and returned to France, where a change in government was occurring. The events in Egypt were significant mostly because they weakened the French. In addition, the French presence in Egypt had a cultural impact, as Napoleon had brought with him on the journey several scientists, whose accomplishments included the discovery of the Rosetta Stone.