The successor of the Sudanese Mahdi. In 1883 the Mahdi made Khalifa commander of the army, and he was largely responsible for the victory over the British at Khartoum in 1885. When the Mahdi died Khalifa eliminated the remaining Egyptian garrisons, and waged war on Ethiopia until 1889. After his defeat by Kitchener at Omdurman he fled to Kordofan, where he died in battle.