Businessman and trader Ryder Courtney arrives in Khartoum to deliver supplies and finds the city under siege from the forces of the Mahdi. After an abortive attempt to leave with the remaining women of the British consulate, Courtney is trapped in the city and must follow the orders of General Charles Gordon, who commands the city's Egyptian defence force.

In 1882 the British intervened in Egypt in support of the Khedive of Egypt, who was facing insurrection from his own army. As a result Egypt, became a de facto British protectorate, although technically it was a province of the Ottoman Empire. The Khedive also administered Sudan and in 1883 the Sudanese, under a leader known as the Mahdi, the 'Expected One', rebelled, inflicting a series of defeats on the Egyptians and taking over much of Sudan. The British were reluctant to intervene in Sudan but acquiesced to the Khedive's request to put the heroic General Charles Gordon in charge of evacuating the Egyptian garrisons from Sudan.

When Gordon arrived in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, in February 1884, he managed to evacuate some 2000 women and children, but decided it would be wrong to give up the city without a fight. Khartoum was protected on two sides by the Nile, had a garrison of 7000 men and plenty of food, and Gordon was confident he could hold out against the Mahdi until a British relief force could arrive and secure the city. Against the British government's wishes he determined to resist and set about strengthening Khartoum's defences.

In 1882 the British intervened in Egypt in support of the Khedive of Egypt, who was facing insurrection from his own army. As a result Egypt, became a de facto British protectorate, although technically it was a province of the Ottoman Empire. The Khedive also administered Sudan and in 1883 the Sudanese, under a leader known as the Mahdi, the 'Expected One', rebelled, inflicting a series of defeats on the Egyptians and taking over much of Sudan. The British were reluctant to intervene in Sudan but acquiesced to the Khedive's request to put the heroic General Charles Gordon in charge of evacuating the Egyptian garrisons from Sudan.

When Gordon arrived in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, in February 1884, he managed to evacuate some 2000 women and children, but decided it would be wrong to give up the city without a fight. Khartoum was protected on two sides by the Nile, had a garrison of 7000 men and plenty of food, and Gordon was confident he could hold out against the Mahdi until a British relief force could arrive and secure the city. Against the British government's wishes he determined to resist and set about strengthening Khartoum's defences.

The British government under William Gladstone dithered over whether to send help and in March 1884 the Mahdi's forces began to lay siege to Khartoum with an army of 50,000 men. It was not until August that year that a relief force was dispatched, by which time food and supplies in the besieged city were running dangerously low.

In January 1885 the British relief expedition entered Sudan and when the Mahdi heard of its approach he decided to storm Khartoum. It was the winter season and the level of the Nile had dropped so the attackers were able to walk across the river bed and into the city, where they slaughtered anyone they could find, including General Gordon who was chopped down on the steps of his palace headquarters dressed in full ceremonial uniform with his pistol in his hand. He was beheaded and his head was presented to the Mahdi who threw it into the Nile.