Character guide

General Gordon

major

Also known as Captain Gordon, Chinese Gordon, Charles George Gordon, Charlie Gordon, Gordon Pasha, Leur Gordon, C. G. Gordon

British military officer and governor, central figure in the Sudan campaign.

Florence Nightingale

major

Also known as Miss Nightingale, Florence, dear Flo, Flo Nightingale

Pioneering nurse and reformer, central figure in the Crimean War narrative.

Cardinal Manning

major

Also known as Henry Edward Manning, Manning, Archdeacon Manning, Archbishop Manning, Dr. Manning

Influential Catholic convert and Archbishop of Westminster.

Dr. Arnold

major

Also known as Arnold, Thomas Arnold, Mr. Thomas Arnold

Headmaster of Rugby School and influential educational reformer.

John Henry Newman

supporting

Also known as Dr. Newman, Newman, John H. Newman, Father Newman

Anglican priest who converted to Catholicism and became a cardinal.

Mr. Gladstone

supporting

Also known as Gladstone

British Prime Minister involved in political and ecclesiastical affairs.

Sir Evelyn Baring

supporting

Also known as Baring, Evelyn Baring, Eve

British consul-general in Egypt during the Gordon relief expedition.

Lord Hartington

supporting

Also known as Hartington

British statesman and Secretary of State for War.

Sidney Herbert

supporting

Also known as Herbert, IV Sidney Herbert

British politician and close ally of Florence Nightingale.

Cardinal Wiseman

supporting

Also known as Wiseman, The Cardinal, Dr. Wiseman

First Archbishop of Westminster after Catholic emancipation.

Monsignor Talbot

supporting

Also known as Dear Monsignor Talbot

Papal chamberlain and intermediary in Catholic affairs.

The Mahdi

supporting

Also known as Muhammad Ahmed, Mohammed Ahmed

Sudanese religious leader who led a revolt against Egyptian rule.

Hurrell Froude

minor

Also known as Froude

Anglican clergyman and early Tractarian movement figure.

W. G. Ward

minor

Also known as Ward

Theologian and controversial Catholic convert.

Keble

minor

Also known as John Keble, the Rev. John Keble

Anglican priest and poet, key figure in the Oxford Movement.

Lord Panmure

minor

Secretary of State for War during the Crimean War.

Slatin Pasha

minor

Also known as Slatin, The unfortunate Slatin

Austrian officer and prisoner of the Mahdi.

Lord Wolseley

minor

Also known as Wolseley

British general who led the relief expedition to Khartoum.

Arthur Clough

minor

Also known as Clough

Poet and friend of Florence Nightingale.

Zobeir

minor

Sudanese slave trader and former rival of Gordon.

Lord Granville

minor

Also known as Granville

British Foreign Secretary during the Gordon crisis.

Hong Xiuquan

minor

Also known as Hong, Hong - Siu - Tsuen

Leader of the Taiping Rebellion in China.

Dr. Errington

minor

Also known as Errington, the redoubtable Dr. Errington

Catholic bishop and opponent of Manning.

Mai

minor

Also known as The faithful Aunt Mai, Aunt Mai

Florence Nightingale's aunt and companion.

The Bison

minor

Nickname for a Rugby School figure in Dr. Arnold's narrative.

Bordeini Bey

minor

Sudanese merchant and intermediary in Khartoum.

Reverend Mr. Gorham

minor

Also known as Mr. Gorham, the Gorham

Anglican clergyman involved in a famous doctrinal controversy.

Dr. Pusey

minor

Also known as Pusey

Anglican theologian and leader of the Oxford Movement.

Sister Harriet

minor

Also known as poor Sister Harriet

Nun and companion of Florence Nightingale.

Li Hung Chang

minor

Also known as Li

Chinese statesman and military commander.

Monsignor Searle

minor

Also known as Searle

Catholic priest and secretary to Cardinal Manning.

Colonel Stewart

minor

Also known as Stewart

British officer and companion of Gordon in Khartoum.

Charles Kingsley

minor

Also known as Kingsley

Anglican clergyman and novelist who debated Newman.

Dr. Hall

minor

Also known as Sir John Hall, Sir John

British army medical officer in the Crimean War.

Khedive Ismail

minor

Also known as Ismail, the Khedive

Ruler of Egypt during the Gordon era.

Colonel Hicks

minor

Also known as Hicks

British officer who led an expedition against the Mahdi.

General Simpson

minor

Also known as poor General Simpson

British commander in the Crimean War.

Ernest Renan

minor

Also known as Renan

French philosopher and historian of religion.

Samuel Wilberforce

minor

Also known as Samuel

Anglican bishop and prominent church figure.

Pius IX

minor

Also known as IX, Pio Nono

Pope during the First Vatican Council.

Professor Huxley

minor

Scientist and advocate of Darwinism.

Ben Hawes

minor

Also known as Sir Benjamin Hawes, the Nightingale Cabinet

British civil servant and brother-in-law of Florence Nightingale.

Father St. John

minor

Also known as St. John, Father

Catholic priest and companion of Newman.

Dr. Andrew Smith

minor

Also known as Dr. Andrew

British army medical officer in the Crimean War.

Archdeacon Hare

minor

Also known as Hare

Anglican clergyman and writer.

Dr. Cullen

minor

Irish Catholic archbishop and cardinal.

Lord Palmerston

minor

British Prime Minister during the Crimean War.

Sir Samuel Baker

minor

Also known as Samuel Baker

British explorer and governor of Equatoria.

Olivier Pain

minor

French journalist who visited the Mahdi.

Lord Acton

minor

Catholic historian and friend of Gladstone.

Lord Raglan

minor

British commander-in-chief in the Crimean War.

Keate

minor

Headmaster of Eton College.

Suleiman

minor

Son of Zobeir and Sudanese rebel leader.

Mr. Stead

minor

Journalist and editor of the Pall Mall Gazette.

Sir Gerald Graham

minor

British general in the Sudan campaign.

Mrs. Nightingale

minor

Mother of Florence Nightingale.

Lord Stratford de Redcliffe

minor

Also known as Lord Stratford

British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire.

Mrs. Arnold

minor

Wife of Dr. Arnold.

Colonel Long

minor

Also known as Long, Colonel Chaille - Long

British officer in the Egyptian army.

Lord William Beresford

minor

Also known as Lord William

British officer and aide-de-camp to Wolseley.

Queen Victoria

minor

British monarch during the events of the book.

Dr. Sutherland

minor

British army medical officer and colleague of Nightingale.

Mr. Jowett

minor

Master of Balliol College, Oxford.

Cardinal Reisach

minor

German Catholic cardinal at the Vatican Council.

Lord Lawrence

minor

British viceroy and governor-general of India.

Old Squire Brown

minor

Father of Tom Brown in the Rugby School narrative.

Augusta

minor

Also known as Dearest Augusta

Sister of Florence Nightingale.

Tien Wang

minor

Also known as The Tien Wang

Chinese rebel leader during the Taiping Rebellion.

Arabi

minor

Also known as Ahmed Arabi

Egyptian nationalist and military leader.

Major Kitchener

minor

British officer who later became famous in Sudan.

Tom Brown

minor

Also known as Tom

Fictional character from Thomas Hughes' novel, referenced in Arnold's story.

Gessi

minor

Italian explorer and associate of Gordon.

Colonel Coetlogon

minor

British officer in the Egyptian army.

Sir Herbert Stewart

minor

British general in the Gordon relief expedition.