Abaza Family

The Abaza clan, "deeply rooted in Egyptian society and... in the history of the country" [1 http://www.bibalex.org/alexcinema/actors/Rushdi_Abaza.html] is a popular, well-known and influential aristocratic Egyptian family that plays a powerful and long-standing role in Egyptian economic, intellectual and political life. Their main stronghold is the Sharqia Governorate in the Nile Delta.

The family is noted for producing a large number of noble Pashas, Beks/Beys, Hanims, "Saheb" or "Sahebet Ezza", "Saada", "Maaly", and "Ossma", intellectuals, politicians, business people and men of letters. It is considered the largest extended family in Egypt. In addition several living Abazas hold the title 'His or Her Excellency', for example serving ministers in government or serving diplomats.

Historical Overview

The Abaza family originated in Abazinia, a region in north Georgia bordering the Caucasus mountains. However, intermarriage into native Egyptian families, specifically native upper class families, was and remains common for Abazas thus ensuring native Egyptian ancestry for the entire clan.

The Abazins were one of several Muslim ethnic groups living in the Russian Empire who emigrated during the Muhajir (Caucasus) in the mid-19th century, although some sources indicate that the Egyptian Abazas emigrated 600-800 years ago. Many moved to Turkey, but later emigrated again and settled in various Arab countries. In their new Arab home, the Abazins took – or were given – the last name "Abaza".

Afaf Lutfi Sayyid-Marsot in the study, Egypt in the Reign of Muhammad Ali, makes mention of a traditional belief amongst the Egyptian Abaza Family that they were named after a "beloved grandmother...or her place of birth". Family elders sat on the majlis created by Ibrahim Pasha, "uhda" (or royal endowments) of villages and land were obtained by the Family and "the Abaza flourished" (pp.123-124).

During the accession of the young King Farouk, "the Abaza family had solicited palace authorities to permit the royal train to stop briefly in their village so that the king could partake in refreshments offered in a large, magnificently ornamented tent they had erected in the train station." [http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/762/chrncls.htm Al-Ahram Weekly

Members of the Egyptian Abaza clan consider themselves a family, and are categorized as a 'family' or 'clan' in the country in which they are well-known.

There is also a town in Russia named Abaza (town).

Notable Egyptian Abaza

Living Figures

* Hussien Abaza Wagih Abaza- Chairman of Peugeot Egypt and Member of the El Shura Council (the Second Egyptian House of Parliament).
* Amin Abaza- current Minister of Agriculture.
* Ahmed Tarek Ola-abaza- a composer and academic.
* Mahmoud Abaza, President of the Wafd Party and Member of Parliament.
* Mahmoud Ahmed Sherif Abaza- nominated to represent Egypt in the Global Young Leaders Conference in New York, USA.
* Fekry Pasha Abaza- a famous writer and a former Pasha.
* Walid Hamdy Abaza- senior sales manger at EMAAR misr.
* Wagih Kamal Abaza- Chief District Attorney in Cairo.
* Amr Hamdy Abaza- a graduated student From the AAST, Industrial and Management Engineering Department.
* Magdy Kamal Abaza- Undersecretary of the Ministry of Investment and Chairman of PortSaid Free Zone.
* Mohammed Samir Abaza- The head of one of the Abaza family offshoots that traveled to and lived in Bahrain.

Deceased Figures

* The Sheikh of the Arabs, Hassan Abaza- an 19th Century family leader.
* The Sheikh of the Arabs, Boghdadi Abaza- an 19th Century family leader.
* Wagih Abaza- during 1950–1952 Abaza was in charge of the commandos against the British, founder of Peugeot Egypt and former governor of Cairo and Damanhour and one of the Free Officers along with Gamal Abdul Nasser.
* Tharwat Abaza- a novelist in modern Egyptian literature.
* Fouad Abaza Pasha.
* Aziz Pasha Abaza- a popular and well-known poet in Egypt.
* Rushdy Abaza- a popular actor in Egypt and the Arab World.
* Maher Abaza- a former Minister of Energy for 17 years.
* Ibrahim Desouqy Abaza Pasha.
* Doctor Mahmoud Bek Soliman Abaza
* Abd-Allah Bek Fekry Abaza
* El-Hajj Wasfy Bek Abaza

There was also a noble Russian-Greek Abaza family, of which Alexander Abaza was a member.

External links

* [http://www.presidency.gov.eg/html/the_cabinet.html Amin Abaza on Egyptian Presidency Site ]
* [http://www.bibalex.org/alexcinema/actors/Rushdi_Abaza.html Rushdi Abaza on Egyptian State Information Service Site]
* [http://www.sis.gov.eg/VR/figures/english/html/Aziz%20Abaza.htm Aziz Abaza on Egyptian State Information Service Site]
* [http://www.dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=1781 Mahmoud Abaza on a Media Site]
* [http://www.peugeot.com.eg/abaza/profile.htm Wagih Abaza]
* [http://www.sis.gov.eg/VR/figures/english/html/mourad.htm Layla Mourad on Egyptian State Information Service Site]
* [http://articles.latimes.com/2002/mar/19/local/me-passings19.1_Abaza.html Tharwat Abaza's Death on a Media Site]

References

* [1 http://www.bibalex.org/alexcinema/actors/Rushdi_Abaza.html]
* [http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=KCz7N-GYKRcC&pg=PA123&dq=abaza+family&client=firefox-a&sig=ACfU3U1T4j1N2a1kVfPEUr23D95c3vusSA Egypt in the Reign of Muhammad Ali]