Lesseps Receives Canal Authority
Ferdinand de Lesseps received permission to organise the company that would construct the future Suez Canal.
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Ferdinand de Lesseps Biography and Timeline
Follow Ferdinand de Lesseps through 9 dated historical records for France.
Ferdinand de Lesseps, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
9Distinct records
1 of 1Page
1854–1888Years on this page
1854
1858
Suez Canal Company Established
Ferdinand de Lesseps organised the Universal Suez Ship Canal Company to finance and manage construction.
1859
Excavation Begins Near Port Said
Construction of the Suez Canal began near Port Said in April under the enterprise led by de Lesseps.
1862
Water Reaches Lake Timsah
Water reached the Lake Timsah depression as major excavation and water supply works progressed across the isthmus.
1865
Mechanical Excavation Expands
The canal builders increasingly used dredging and mechanical excavation to advance construction through difficult terrain.
1867
Suez Canal Excavation Continues
Construction crews continued removing sand and earth as the waterway approached completion across the isthmus.
1868
Canal Engineering Nears Completion
Engineers completed major portions of the planned shipping channel in preparation for its opening the following year.
1869
Mediterranean Red Sea Waters Join
The waters of the Mediterranean and Red seas met through the completed excavation in August 1869.
1888
Constantinople Convention Regulates Navigation
The Convention of Constantinople established principles for freedom of navigation through the Suez Canal in peace and war.
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.