The territories were united as the separate colony of Ubangi-Shari on December 29, 1903,[1] following the French defeat of Abbas II of Egypt, who had claimed the area.[citation needed] On February 11, 1906, this colony merged with the French settlements around Lake Chad and became the Ubangi-Shari territory of Ubangi-Shari-Chad (Oubangui-Chari-Tchad).[1] In 1909, it received the administration over the sultanates of Zemio and Rafai from the Belgian Congo.[3]