Mursi's blunders helped doom Egypt's first stab at democracy

Riot police stand with their shields as members of the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi protest in front of Egypt's Constitutional Court during the swearing in ceremony of Adli Mansour as the nation's interim president in Cairo July 4, 2013. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

CAIRO (Reuters) - Mohamed Mursi's early challenge to the army and his imposition of an Islamist-tinged constitution were fateful moments in his turbulent year as Egypt's first freely elected president.

A year ago, the Muslim Brotherhood seemed about to reap the fruits of the popular uprising that had toppled Hosni Mubarak, with Mursi installed in the palace he occupied for 30 years.