In pointing out the exact boundaries of my empire as they exist today I signify my intention, if god graciously grants me life and strength, to re-establish the ancient frontiers of Ethiopia as far as Khartoum and Lake Nyanza Lake Victoria , with all the Galla territories. I have not the least intention of remaining a disinterested onlooker if powers from a distance come with the notion of dividing Africa between themselves, Ethiopia having been, during the course of quite fourteen centuries, an island inhabited by Christians in a see of pagans.
Just as almighty god has protected Ethiopia up to the present time, so also I am confident that he be her guardian today and will also add to her territory in the future, and I have no reason to contemplate that he will divide up Ethiopia amongst other powers. Formerly the boundary of Ethiopia was the see. Because of lack of strength on our own part and because of the failure of other Christians to come to our aid, our frontier on the seaward side fell into the hands of the Muslims.
Today we make no pretence of seeking to recover our seaward frontier by force; but we hope that the Christian powers, guided by our lord Jesus Christ, may yield us our frontiers on the sea, or that at least they may give us some points on the coast.
Abyssinians assert that Menelik is a unifier, though he is short of the dream territories mentioned in him letter. The boundaries created as a result of Abyssinian military victories were no less arbitrary divisive than those created by competing European colonial powers in the rest of Africa; in the west, Anuak, Nuer, Berta and Komo were split between Ethiopia and present day Sudan; in the south, Oromo were split between Ethiopia and present day Kenya; in the east and southeast, Somali were split between Ethiopia, Kenya and present day Somalia and Djibouti; and in the northeast, Afars were split between Ethiopia and present day Djibouti; A number of other smaller groups were divided in the north, west and south.
Also in the north Abyssinia itself were to be divided between present day Ethiopia and Eritrea. It should be noted that Abyssinian kings rule over Ethiopia but without either acceptance or recognition by non-Abyssinians.
One of the most interesting but confusing tactics Abyssinian devised to obfuscate the atrocities committed while at the same time getting legitimacy over the newly confiscated country and people was fabricating history, presenting their myths as history, using diplomatic verbiage and changing their name of Semitic Abyssinia to Cushitic Ethiopia. The most important myths Abyssinians used as ideological weapon to subjugate the overwhelmingly majority non-Abyssinians and confuse local as well as foreign historians are the following:.
Accordingly, the superficially convincing and yet more confusing name they wanted to adopt was the historical Christian Cushitic Nubian Ethiopia- present day Sudan- located from 1 st cataract-South of Aswan to 6 th cataract-Khartoum along side the Blue Nile River. Dubious enough, this name changes was harmonized with the corrupt Abyssinian version of Christianity.
For e. Based on the objective and tactics mentioned, subsequent Abyssinian governments, in collaboration with the highly politicized Abyssinian church, pushed to change the Abyssinia name to Biblical Ethiopia. It should be noted that the Hebrew bible call Nubian as Cush while the Greece bible refers Nubians as ethiope. After initially imposing Abyssinia name on non-Abyssinians, special diplomatic effort was made by Teferi Mekonen- later Emperor H.
Most importantly, the following all inclusive Memorandum of Department of State regarding the official name of Ethiopia explains the whole situation of the historical genocide committed. Ethiopia is the name which is preferred by the Government and people of the country. Skinner, in his Paris dispatch No. The government of the country considers Ethiopia to be its proper name.
And it is under this name that our treaty appears in the official volume of Treaties, Conventions and International Acts. And in the body of the treaty Ethiopia alone is mentioned from time to time. I believe that it would be gratifying to the existing government of Ethiopia if the use of the word Abyssinia could be dropped. The suggestion that the name Ethiopia be adopted for official use by the Government was approved by Mr.
The name of the country in the language of the country, Amharic, is, translated Ityopya. Admittedly the term Abyssinia is much more widely used. The Italian abandoned both names during their five years occupation, let alone accepting the name change to Ethiopia instead of Abyssinia. Combes and M. Tamisier arrived at Massawa in , and visited districts which had not been traversed by Europeans since the time of the Portuguese.
One who did much at the time to extend our geographical knowledge of the country was Dr C. Beke q. Mr Mansfield Parkyns was there from to , and wrote the most interesting book on the country since the time of Bruce.
Bishop Gobat having conceived the idea of sending lay missionaries into the country, who would engage in secular occupations as well as carry on missionary work, Dr Krapf returned to Abyssinia in with Mr Flad as pioneers of that mission ; Krapf, however, was not permitted to remain in the country. Six lay workers came out at first, and they were subsequently joined by others.
Their secular work, however, appears to have been more valuable to Theodore than their preaching, so that he employed them as workmen to himself, and established them at Gaffat, near his capital. Mr Stern arrived in Abyssinia in , and after a visit to Europe returned in , accompanied by Mr and Mrs Rosenthal. Rivalry of British and French factions.
To him came many French missionaries and travellers, chief of whom were Lieut. The brothers Antoine and Arnaud d'Abbadie q. The latent hostility between the two factions threatened at one time to develop into a religious war, but no serious campaigns took place until Kassa later Theodore appeared on the scene.
His father was a small local chief, and his uncle was governor of the districts of Dembea, Kwara and Chelga between Lake Tsana and the undefined N.
Rise of the emperor Theodore. He was educated in a monastery , but preferred a more active life, and by his talents and energy came rapidly to the front. On the death of his uncle he was made chief of Kwara, but in consequence of the arrest of his brother Bilawa by Ras Ali, he raised the standard of revolt against the latter, and, collecting a large force, repeatedly beat the troops that were sent against him by the ras — On one occasion peace was restored by his receiving Tavavich, daughter of Ras Ali, in marriage; and this lady is said to have been a good and wise counsellor during her lifetime.
He next turned his arms against the Turks , in the direction of Massawa , but was defeated; and the mother of Ras Ali having insulted him in his fallen condition, he proclaimed his independence. Kassa now ruled in Amhara, but his ambition was to attain to supreme power, and Growing power of Shoa. He now turned his attention to Shoa. His reign was long and beneficent. He restored the towns of Debra-Berhan and Angolala, and founded Entotto, the strong stone-built town whose ruins overlook the modern capital, Adis Ababa.
During his reign he received the missions of Major W. Cornwallis Harris, sent by the governor-general of India , and M. He also wrote to Pope Pius IX. This request was acceded to, and the pope despatched Monsigneur Massaja to Shoa. By increasing his dominions at the expense of the Gallas , he still further roused the jealousy of the northerners, and a treaty which he concluded with Ras Ali against Kassa in determined the latter to crush him at the earliest opportunity.
Thus it was that in Kassa, under the name of the emperor Theodore, advanced against Shoa with a large army. Dissensions broke out among the Shoans, and after a desperate and futile attack on Theodore at Debra-Berhan, Haeli Melicoth died of exhaustion and fever, nominating with his last breath his eleven-year-old son Menelek [2] as successor November He is described as being generous to excess, free from cupidity, merciful to his vanquished enemies, and strictly continent, but subject to violent bursts of anger and possessed of unyielding pride and fanatical religious zeal.
He was also a man of education and intelligence, superior to those among whom he lived, with natural talents for governing and gaining the esteem of others. He obtained several victories over that people, ravaged their country, took possession of Magdala , which he afterwards made his principal stronghold, and enlisted many of the chiefs and their followers in his own ranks. The British consul, Walter C. Plowden, who was strongly attached to Theodore, having been ordered by his government in to return to Massawa , was attacked on his way by a rebel named Garred, mortally wounded, and taken prisoner.
Theodore attacked the rebels, and in the action the murderer of Mr Plowden was slain by his friend and companion Mr J. Bell, an engineer , but the latter lost his life in preserving that of Theodore. The deaths of the two Englishmen were terribly avenged by the slaughter or mutilation of nearly rebels. In he made a second expedition against the Gallas, which was stained with atrocious cruelties. Theodore had now given himself up to intoxication and lust.
Cameron was appointed to succeed him as consul, and arrived at Massawa in February In October Captain Cameron was sent home by Theodore, with a letter to the queen of England , which reached the Foreign Office on the 12th of February This letter was put aside and no answer returned, and to this in no small degree are to be attributed the difficulties that subsequently arose with that country. He arrived at Massawa in July , and immediately despatched a messenger requesting permission to present himself before the emperor.
Neither to this nor a subsequent application was any answer returned till August , when a curt note was received, stating that Consul Cameron had been released, and if Mr Rassam still desired to visit the king, he was to proceed by the route of Gallabat.
The latter reached Kwarata on the 12th of March, and everything appeared to proceed favourably. A month later they started for the coast, but had not proceeded far when they were ail brought back and put into confinement. Theodore then wrote a letter to the queen , requesting European workmen and machinery to be sent to him, and despatched it by Mr Flad. The Europeans , although detained as prisoners, were not at first unkindly treated; but in the end of June they were sent to Magdala , where they were soon afterwards put in chains.
They suffered hunger, cold and misery, and were in constant fear of death, till the spring of when they were relieved by the British troops. The latter, however, in rebelled against his master and assumed the supreme power of that province.
This was the state of matters when the English troops made their appearance in the country. With a view if possible to effect the release of the prisoners by conciliatory measures, Mr Flad was sent back, with some artisans and machinery, and a letter from the queen, stating that these would be handed over to his majesty on the release of the prisoners and their return to Massawa.
This, however, failed to influence the emperor, and the English government at length saw that they must have recourse to arms. In July , therefore, it was resolved to send an army into Abyssinia to enforce the release of the captives, under Sir Robert Napier 1st Baron Napier of Magdala. The force amounted to upwards of 16, men, besides 12, belonging to the transport service, and followers, making in all upwards of 32, men. The task to be accomplished was to march over miles of a mountainous and little-known country, inhabited by savage tribes, to the camp or fortress of Theodore, and compel him to deliver up his captives.
In the meantime Theodore had been reduced to great straits. His army, which at one time numbered over , men, was rapidly deserting him, and he could hardly obtain food for his followers. He resolved to quit his capital Debra-Tabor, which he burned, and set out with the remains of his army for Magdala. During this march he displayed an amount of engineering skill in the construction of roads, of military talent and fertility of resource, that excited the admiration and astonishment of his enemies.
They advanced again and again to the charge, but were each time driven back, and finally retired in good order. Early next morning Theodore sent Lieut. Prideaux, one of the captives, and Mr Flad, accompanied by a native chief, to the English camp to sue for peace. Answer was returned, that if he would deliver up all the Europeans in his hands, and submit to the queen of England , he would receive honourable treatment.
The captives were liberated and sent away, and accompanying a letter to the English general was a present of cows and sheep, the acceptance of which would, according to Eastern custom, imply that peace was granted. Through some misunderstanding, word was sent to Theodore that the present would be accepted, and he felt that he was now safe; but in the evening he learned that it had not been received, and despair again seized him. Early next morning he attempted to escape with a few of his followers, but subsequently returned.
The same day 13th April Magdala was stormed and taken, practically without loss, and within they found the dead body of the emperor, who had fallen by his own hand.
The inhabitants and troops were subsequently sent away, the fortifications destroyed and the town burned. The queen Terunish having expressed her wish to go back to her own country, accompanied the British army, but died during the march, and her son Alamayahu, the only legitimate son of the emperor, was brought to England, as this was the desire of his father.
In acknowledgment of this, several pieces of ordnance, small arms and ammunition, with much of the surplus stores, were handed over to him, and the English troops left the country in May The emperor returned, however, in , and after several repulses succeeded in entering Ankober, where he behaved with great cruelty, murdering or mutilating all the inhabitants.
Siefu kept up a gallant defence for two more years, but was then killed by Kebret, one of his own chiefs. Thus chaos again reigned supreme in Shoa. The emperor, who held as hostage a son of Workitu, threatened to kill the boy unless Menelek were given up; but the gallant queen refused, and lost both her son and her throne. Here, however, Menelek was saved from probable destruction through the action of Egypt.
This power had, by the advice of Werner Munzinger q. John, after futile protests, collected an army, and with the assistance of Ras Walad Michael, hereditary chief of Bogos, advanced against the Egyptian forces, who were under the command of one Arendrup, a Dane. Meeting near the Mareb, the Egyptians were beaten in detail, and almost annihilated at Gundet 13th November An avenging expedition was prepared in the spring of the following year, and, numbering 14, men under Ratib Pasha, Loring American , and Prince Hassan, advanced to Gura and fortified a position in the neighbourhood.
Although reinforced by Walad Michael, who had now quarrelled with John, the Egyptians were a second time 25th March heavily beaten by the Abyssinians, and retired, losing an enormous quantity of both men and rifles. Colonel C. Gordon, governor-general of the Sudan, was now ordered to go and make peace with John, but the king had moved south with his army, intending to punish Menelek for having raided Gondar whilst he, John, was engaged with the Egyptians.
This lady, to whom he was much attached, had been endeavouring to secure the succession of one of her own sons to the throne of Shoa, and had almost succeeded in getting rid of Mashasha, son of Siefu and cousin of Menelek, who was the apparent heir. On the approach of John, the Shoans united for a time against their common enemy.
But after a few skirmishes they melted away, and Menelek was obliged to submit and do obeisance to John.
The latter behaved with much generosity, but at the same time imposed terms which effectually deprived Shoa of her independence March In Gordon was sent on a fresh mission to John on behalf of Egypt; but he was treated with scant courtesy, and was obliged to leave the country without achieving anything permanent.
The Italians now come on the scene. Assab, a port near the southern entrance of the Red Sea, had been bought from the local sultan in March by an Italian company, which, after acquiring more land in and , was bought out by the Italian government in Beginning of Italian influence.
In this year Count Pietro Antonelli was despatched to Shoa in order to improve the prospects of the colony by treaties with Menelek and the sultan of Aussa. Several missions followed upon this one, with more or less successful results; but both John and Menelek became uneasy when Beilul, a port to the north of Assab Bay, was occupied by the Italians in January , and Massawa taken over by them from Egypt in the following month.
This latter act was greatly resented by the Abyssinians, for by a treaty concluded with a British and Egyptian mission under Admiral Hewett and Mason Pasha [5] in the previous year, free transit of goods was to be allowed through this port. Reinforcements were sent from Italy, whilst in the autumn the British government stepped in and tried to mediate by means of a mission under Mr afterwards Sir Gerald Portal.
His mission, however proved abortive, and after many difficulties and dangers he returned to Egypt at the end of the year. In April the Italian forces, numbering over 20, men, came into touch with the Abyssinian army; but negotiations took the place of fighting, with the result that both forces retired, the Italians only leaving some troops in Eritrea, as their colony was now called. Meanwhile John had not been idle with regard to the dervishes, who had in the meantime become masters of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.
Although he had set his troops in motion too late to relieve Kassala, Ras Alula, his chief general, had succeeded in inflicting a handsome defeat on Osman Digna at Kufit in September Fighting between the dervishes and the Abyssinians continued, and in August the dervishes entered and sacked Gondar. After some delay, King John took the field in force against the enemy, who were still harassing the north-west of his territory.
A great battle ensued at Gallabat, in which the dervishes, under Zeki Tumal, were beaten. But a stray bullet struck the king, and the Abyssinians decided to retire. The king died during the night, and his body fell into the hands of the enemy 9th March In common with other northern princes, Mangasha, reputed son and heir of King John, with the Menelek emperor.
Thus it seemed as though hostilities between the two countries had come to a definite end, and that peace was assured in the land. For the next three years the land was fairly quiet, the chief political events being the convention 6th February between Italy and Abyssinia, protocols between Italy and Great Britain 24th March and 15th April and a proclamation by Menelek 10th April , all on the subject of boundaries. According to the former, the negus was bound to make use of Italy as a channel for communicating with other powers, whereas the Amharic version left it optional.
Meanwhile the dervishes were threatening Eritrea. A fine action by Colonel Arimondi gained Agordat for Italy 21st December , and a brilliant march by Colonel Baratieri resulted in the acquisition of Kassala 17th July On his return Baratieri found that Mangasha was intriguing with the dervishes, and had actually crossed the frontier with a large army.
But as the year wore on the Italians commander pushed his forces unsupported too far to the south. Menelek was advancing with a large army in national support of Mangasha, and the subsequent reverses at Amba Alagi 7th December and Macalle 23rd January forced the Italians to fall back. Reinforcements of many thousands were meanwhile arriving at Massawa , and in February Baratieri took the field at the head of over 13, men. Battle of Adowa. Here Baratieri attacked him on the 1st of March, but the difficulties of the country were great, and one of the four Italians brigades had pushed too far forward.
This brigade was attacked by overwhelming numbers, and on the remaining brigades advancing in support, they were successively cut to pieces by the encircling masses of the enemy. The Italians lost over white and native troops killed and wounded, and over prisoners, of which were white, whilst the Abyssinians owned to a loss of over General Baldissera advanced with a large body of reinforcements to avenge this defeat, but the Abyssinians, desperately short of supplies, had already retired, and beyond the peaceful relief of Adrigat no further operations took place.
It may here be remarked that the white prisoners taken by Menelek were exceedingly well treated by him, and that he behaved throughout the struggle with Italy with the greatest humanity and dignity. On the 26th of October following a provisional treaty of peace was concluded at Adis Ababa, annulling the treaty of Uccialli and recognizing the absolute independence of Abyssinia.
This treaty was ratified, and followed by other treaties and agreements defining the Eritrean—Abyssinian and the Abyssinian—Italian Somaliland frontiers see Italy , History , and Somaliland , Italian.
Menelek as independent monarch. The British one, under Mr afterwards Sir Rennell Rodd, concluded a friendly treaty with Abyssinia 15th of May , but did not, except in the direction of Somaliland, touch on frontier questions, which for several years continued a subject of discussion.
During the same year a small French expedition under Messrs Clochette and de Bonchamps endeavoured to reach the Nile, but, after surmounting many difficulties, stuck in the marshes of the Upper Sobat , and was obliged to return. Another expedition of Abyssinians, under Dejaj Tasamma and accompanied by three Europeans—Faivre French , Potter Swiss and Artomonov Russian —started early in , and reached the Nile at the Sobat mouth in June, a few days only before Major Marchand and his gallant companions arrived on the scene.
But no contact was made, and the expedition returned to Abyssinia. In the same year Menelek proceeded northwards with a large army for the purpose of chastising Mangasha, who was again rebelling against his authority. After some trifling fighting Mangasha submitted, and Ras Makonnen despatched a force to subdue Beni Shangul, the chief of which gold country, Wad Tur el Guri, was showing signs of disaffection. This effected, the Abyssinians almost came into contact with the Egyptian troops sent up the Nile after the occupation of Khartum to Famaka and towards Gallabat ; but as both sides were anxious to avoid a collision over this latter town, no hostile results ensued.
An excellent understanding was, in fact, established between these two contiguous countries, in spite of occasional disturbances by bandits on the frontier. On this frontier question, a treaty was concluded on the 15th of May between England and Abyssinia for the delimitation of the Sudan —Abyssinian frontier. Menelek, in addition, agreed not to obstruct the waters of Lake Tsana, the Blue Nile or the Sobat, so as not to interfere with the Nile irrigation question, and he also agreed to give a concession, if such should be required, for the construction of a British railway through his dominions, to connect the Sudan with Uganda.
A combined British—Abyssinian expedition Mr A. It was followed in by an agreement defining the frontiers concerned. Co-operation with Britain against the Somali mullah. In the spring and summer of a fresh expedition from Harrar was undertaken against the mullah, who was laying waste the Ogaden country. Two British officers accompanied this force, which was to co-operate with British troops advancing from Somaliland; but little was achieved by the Abyssinians, and after undergoing considerable privations and losses, and harassing the country generally, including that of some friendly tribes, it returned to Harrar.
During the —3 campaign of General Sir W. Manning, Menelek provided a force of to co-operate with the British and to occupy the Webi Shebeli and south-western parts of the Haud. This time the Abyssinians were more successful, and beat the rebels in a pitched fight; but the difficulties of the country again precluded effective co-operation.
Accompanied by a few British officers, it worked its way southward, but did not contribute much towards the final solution. In any case, however, it is significant that the Abyssinians have repeatedly been willing to co-operate with the British away from their own country. Regarding the question of railways, the first concession for a railway from the coast at Jibuti French Somaliland to the interior was granted by Menelek to a French company in The company having met with numberless difficulties Growth of European influence.
In the alternative British capitalists interested in the company would have obtained control of the line. Difficulties arose over the continuation of the railway to Adis Ababa and beyond, and the proposed internationalization of the line.
These difficulties, which hindered the work of construction for years, were composed so far as the European Powers interested were concerned in A British, an Italian and an Abyssinian representative were to be appointed to the board of the French company, and a French director to the board of any British or Italian company formed.
Absolute equality of treatment on the railway and at Jibuti was guaranteed to the commerce of all the Powers. Meanwhile the country slowly developed in parts and opened out cautiously to European influences. Harrington, having been appointed shortly after the British mission in A German mission visited the country early in and also concluded a treaty of commerce with the negus.
Later in the year a German minister was appointed to the court of the emperor. After British influence in Abyssinia, owing largely no doubt to the conquest of the Sudan, the destruction of the dervish power and the result of the Fashoda incident, was sensibly on the increase. Of the remaining powers France occupied the most important position in the country. The Anglo-French-Italian agreement of December contained provisions in view of this contingency.
The terms of the agreement were settled in July , and its text forthwith communicated to the negus. After considerable hesitation Menelek sent, early in December, a note to the powers, in which, after thanking them for their intentions, he stipulated that the agreement should not in any way limit his own sovereign rights. In June , by the nomination of his grandson, Lij Yasu b. See Menelek. A convention with Italy, concluded in the same year, settled the frontier questions outstanding with that country.
Lefebvre and others 6 vols. Paris, The British parliamentary paper Africa , No. Maud, R. Cornwallis Harris, dealing with the Danakil country, Harrar and Shoa; Mansfield Parkyns, Life in Abyssinia; being notes collected during three years' residence and travels 2nd ed. For history see—A. Texts of treaties between Abyssinia and the European Powers up to will be found in vol. For more detailed historical study consult C.
Rome, , a valuable guide to the period indicated; E. Holland and Capt. Political questions are referred to by T. Abyssinian Church. A dejazmach dejaj is a high official, ranking immediately below a ras. He had raised himself by his military talents from being a groom and private soldier to the position of generalissimo of the army.
Hidden categories: Subpages Pages with contributor. It shares one of its borders with Somalia, to the East. Kenya to the South and Djibouti to the North East.
Ethiopia is even documented in the King James Version of the Bible. Archaeologist have found the oldest known human ancestors in Ethiopia, including Ardipithecus Ramidus Kadabba c. Cushitic language speakers are believed to be the original inhabitants of Ethiopia.
Ethiopia is the oldest independent countries in Africa. Unlike other African countries, Ethiopia remained independent until , when Italy under Benito Mussolini invaded the country but only for a brief stint. The country had been governed by monarchies. This is the country, where Christianity first made its inroad in the African continent. When Islam found its way to its neighbours Somaliland, constant fighting ensued as more and more Ethiopians were recruited and converted into Islam.
Civil wars we very common in Ethiopia's existence in the 19th Century. On Sept.
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