French Levant Crete, Port Said lot year 1885/1920 MH/Used stamps

French Levant Crete, Port Said lot year 1885/1920 MH/Used stamps

French Port Said was French-controlled area within the city of Port Said, located in northeastern Egypt at the northern entrance to the Suez Canal.

Port Said was one of the major cities established during the construction of the Suez Canal in the 19th century. The canal, completed in 1869, was a crucial waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, allowing ships to travel between Europe and Asia without having to navigate around the southern tip of Africa.

French Levant Crete typically refers to the French postage stamps that were used in the region of Crete during the period when it was under French administration. Crete, an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, had a complex history of governance and was under various foreign influences, including Ottoman, Venetian, and Egyptian rule. During this period of autonomy, Crete issued its own postage stamps to facilitate mail delivery within the island. These stamps were often used alongside stamps from other countries or entities that had postal agreements with Crete, including France.