Gordon, Charles George (1833-1885), a British soldier, was called Chinese Gordon and Gordon Pasha because of his distinguished service in China and Egypt. Gordon was born on Jan. 28, 1833, at Woolwich and educated at the Royal Military Academy. He fought in the Crimean War (1853-1856). He took part in an expedition to China in 1860 and helped capture Beijing. He later won victories as commander of the Chinese who fought the Taiping rebels (see China (The Taiping Rebellion) ).
In 1873, the khedive (ruler) of Egypt made Gordon governor of southern Sudan. Gordon was governor general of the Sudan from 1877 to 1880, and spent the next four years in England. The United Kingdom then sent him to Sudan to help the khedive put down a revolt. He defended Khartoum against troops led by the Muslim leader Muhammad Ahmad. Gordon held the city for 317 days but was killed on Jan. 26, 1885, two days before a British relief party came within sight of the city.
