Origins & Early Life

Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener (; 24 June 1850 – 5 June 1916) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator. Kitchener came to prominence for his imperial campaigns, his involvement in the Second Boer War, and his central role in the early part of the First World War. Kitchener was credited in 1898 for having won the Battle of Omdurman and securing control of the Sudan, for which he was made Baron Kitchener of Khartoum. As Chief of Staff (1900–1902) in the Second Boer War he played a key role in Lord Roberts' conquest of the Boer Republics, then succeeded Roberts as commander-in-chief – by which time Boer forces had taken to guerrilla fighting and British forces imprisoned Boer and African civilians in concentration camps.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His term as commander-in-chief (1902–1909) of the Army in India saw him quarrel with another eminent proconsul, the viceroy Lord Curzon, who eventually resigned. Kitchener then returned to Egypt as British agent and consul-general (de facto administrator). In 1914, at the start of the First World War, Kitchener became secretary of state for war, a cabinet minister. One of the few to foresee a long war, lasting for at least three...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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