The Role of British and Egyptian Documents in Rewriting the Modern History of Libya (1835–1961) A Comparative Analytical Study

Abstract

The study provided a comprehensive and methodological assessment of the role of British and Egyptian documents in re-reading and correcting the historical narrative of modern and contemporary Libya during the period (1835–1961), an era that witnessed pivotal transformations from the end of the Ottoman period, through the Italian occupation and military administration, to the post-independence phase and the establishment of the modern state The study explored this role through a comparative analysis of original archives from both parties, deconstructing the strategic, political, economic, and legislative foundations, and monitoring how British international interests intersected with Egyptian regional aspirations in determining the path of Libyan political decision-making It also shed light on consular reports, agent networks, exploration journeys, the impact of health and social crises, and the ideas of intellectual elites such as the Jeremy Bentham model The study concluded that modern Libyan history was not the product of isolated internal factors, but rather a reflection of a complex geopolitical environment in which the security of great powers intertwined with the challenges of the regional neighborhood The analysis proved that documentary material revealed that Libya's state choices were not always driven by complete free will, but were a forced response to deteriorating economic realities and existential security concerns amidst the pressures of the Cold War, thereby correcting the traditional narrative that interpreted Libya's international relations as absolute submission It also concluded on the necessity of activating digital academic cooperation and overcoming translation challenges, asserting that history can only be written fairly through the intersection of conflicting archives, thus laying a fundamental foundation for rewriting Libyan history with complete objectivity, far from ideological biases.