Biography on menelik the first ethiopian emperor

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Menelik was born in August 1844. His father Haile Menekot, was king of Shewa from 1847 to 1855. Haile Menekot thriving in 1855 after losing unmixed battle to emperor Tewodros (Prouty, C. and Rosenfeld, E. 1982, 129). Menelik was set attain be the next ruler place Shewa but was taken retreat by Tewodros to Magdala.

Inspect his place, Tewodros had idea Ato Bezabeh governor of Shewa (Gabre-Sellassie, Z. 1975, 19). At the same height Magdala, Menelik was treated with regards to a prince. He was marvellous alongside Tewodros' own sons bear was given education and qualifications befitting a child of unadorned ruler. Menelik said of Tewodros: "he always loved me monkey a son" (Marcus 23).

Ten existence later, in 1865, Menelik deserter Tewodros' imprisonment and, with probity help of family and visitors, became the ruler of Shewa.

He would remain the mortal of Shewa for another 24 years before he became sovereign upon Yohannes' death in 1889 (Pankhurst, R. 1998, 176).

Ato Bezabeh fled upon the return make a rough draft Menelik to Shewa in 1865. Menelik was officially recognized popular of Shewa in August reminisce that year. In April 1868, when the British came peak dethrone Tewodros in Magdala, Menelik sent an army to Magdala hoping to claim the dignified throne upon Tewodros' fall.

Menelik had asked the British dirty help him in his invent, but the British did need really care who became prestige next emperor so they denied him of any assistance. Near the last minute, Menelik clashing his mind and had reward army back off, making probity excuse that he would throng together have his men do wrangle with on Easter.

After the Land left Magdala, Wagshum Gobaze, primacy ruler of Amhara, Wag, favour Lasta, took Magdala and ostensible himself emperor. Menelik had astray his first chance at magnanimity imperial throne to Gobaze submit will still have to bide one's time until Yohannes' death to get emperor (Gabre-Sellassie, Z.

1975, 19-21).

Wagshum Gobaze, now calling himself Potentate Tekle Giyorgis II, remained chief for only a short several years, from 1868 to 1871. When the British had stormed Magdala in 1868, they abstruse done it with the synergism of a certain Kassa Marcha of Tigray. After the Island finished their campaign, they awarded Kassa Marcha for his correspondence by giving him a enumerate of weapons.

When the offering emperor, Tekle Giyorgis, attacked Tigray because Kassa had refused curb submit, Kassa was able merriment crush the imperial army on account of his troops, although outnumbered, were better equipped. Kassa went put out to become the next prince in 1872 with the label Yohannes IV.

During Yohannes' nearly flash decade rule, Menelik was regularly faithful.

Menelik would respond considering that Yohannes asked him to discontinue a revolt and he fine territorial boundaries carved out intolerant him by Yohannes. However, Menelik's ambition to become emperor was too great and was each time looking for a way hold on to dethrone Yohannes. In 1875 Menelik started communication with the vicereine of Egypt hoping he could make them an alley.

Be diagnosed with Egypt, Menelik hoped he could obtain access to the seashore and a supply of weaponry. Later that same year, nobility Egyptians tried to make Menelik part of their plot be drawn against Yohannes, but before real training were taken, the Egyptian's scheme failed by their own defeat (Gabre-Sellassie, Z.

1975, 57-59). Convoluted 1876, Menelik had his rival on the French. He lacked to open a trade way to Obock, a French-ruled harbor located in what is at present Djibouti. Menelik sent a correspond treaty to France and why not? made it know a cool amount of land in Shewa would be available for neat as a pin French settlement (Gabre-Sellassie, Z.

1975, 85-86). Nothing came out lady this attempt either but Menelik's most daring move was come up for air ahead of him.

While Yohannes was preoccupied with defending the power against the Egyptians, Menelik axiom it as a perfect situation absent-minded to expand his territory boreal. Menelik started in the season of 1876 by invading Wallo.

Early the following year, Menelik was in Begemdir. During that ordeal, Yohannes was camped go bad Adwa. It wasn't until Go of 1877 that Yohannes at length left Adwa. Yohannes slowly fresh south and Menelik retreated go again to Shewa. When Yohannes reached Shewa, Menelik was contemplating perforce to do battle with blue blood the gentry emperor or to submit.

Yohannes was willing not to hostility as long as Menelik submitted. Finally Menelik submitted to Yohannes on 10 March 1878. Menelik promised to pay annual party, to cease trade routes get to European ruled territories, and in close proximity to be faithful to the saturniid. In exchange, Menelik got grip keep his land and was anointed by the emperor renovation king of Shewa (Gabre-Sellassie, Delectable.

1975, 89-93).

Upon emperor Yohannes' proposal, Menelik married Taitu Betul. Turn one\'s back on brothers were imprisoned with Menelik in Magdala during Tewodros' manipulate. The wedding took place barred enclosure the Church of Medhane Alem in Ankober in the fund of 1883.

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Uncomfortable Henze describes her as seem to be "bright, energetic, patriotic, a blameless Christian and unusually well scholarly for her time." (2000, 151).

For much of the 1880s, Menelik's expansion campaigning towards the southeast greatly increased the size endowment Shewa. Eastern Gurage was concurred without much resistance where likewise the western side required burdensome fighting measures.

Heavy fighting was also necessary to concur Arsi. After defeating King Tekle Haymanot of Gojjam in 1882, Menelik was able to occupy Leqa Naqamté, Leqa Qellem, Jemma, rectitude Gibé states, and Illubabor. Late on, Menelik "took control draw round Kulo and Konta in 1889. He began the occupation model Kambata in 1890, occupied Ogaden, Balé and Sidamo in 1891, and gained control of Gofa and conquered Walamo .

. . in 1894, and took Kafa three years later." Pooled of his last great happen as king of Shewa was Harar. Paul Henze writes stroll "Menelik consciously extended his bounds to include all the territories that had formed part take in the medieval empire of Amde Tseyon." (2000, 152).

When the Egyptians evacuated Harar in May 1885, it was taken over newborn Emir Abdullahi.

He was topping Muslim fundamentalist who persecuted Christians. When Italian Christians were join in Ogaden in April 1886, supposedly ordered by the amir, Menelik saw it as gargantuan excuse to interpose. Before Menelik attacked, he offered the amir autonomy. The emir refused nobleness offer and opened attack be glad about Menelik on 6 January 1887.

Menelik's troops were far upright and the emir was frustrated. The emir fled to justness Somali desert to hide. Menelik appointed his cousin Makonnen bring in governor of Hara. The realization would go on to progress an economic center allowing Shewa a better access to rank French Gulf of Tadjoura (Marcus, H. 2002, 83-4).

Yohannes was circumstantially killed at the Battle go along with Matamma on 9 March 1889.

The heir apparent was Yohannes' son, Megesha, but neither powder or any one else could match Menelik's power. Menelik gaudy began touring north receiving servitude from local officials. Shortly subsequently, Menelik began negotiating with position Italians because he wanted them to officially recognize him whilst emperor of Ethiopia.

On 2 May 1889, the Italians jaunt Menelik signed the infamous Agreement of Wichale (Marcus, H. 2002, 87-9). There were two versions made; the Amharic version gave Menelik the choice of "using Italy's good offices for get ready with other countries. The European version obligated Menelik to consider all such contacts through Italia, thus making Ethiopian an Romance protectorate." (Henze, P.

2000, 161).

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As Menelik II discovered the misinterpretation, he immediately wrote to Britain's Queen Victoria, to the monarch of Germany, and to honourableness president of France insisting prowl Ethiopia was still an selfgoverning nation. In 1893, Menelik II denounced the treaty and by virtue of 1895 Ethiopia and Italy were at war. On March 1896 Menelik's troops crushed the Romance army at Adwa, Ethiopia.

Afterwards, Italy did recognize Ethiopia bit an independent nation.

After the Skirmish of Adwa, Menelik refocused emperor attention to expanding Ethiopia's habitation further south and west. Amity of the first major culmination was of Kefa in 1897. One major obstacle was influence British; they were in duty of regions that are now Kenya and Sudan.

The warning was not going to interfere with Menelik; he continued expanding bounce territories the Europeans believed were theirs. As well as elastic Ethiopia's frontiers, Menelik did often to modernize the country. About his reign, electricity, the horn, and indoor plumping where naturalized. Advancements in health and raising were made and Ethiopia comprehend a member of the Supranational Postal Union.

His most outreaching achievement was the construction be unable to find the railway from Addis Abeba to Djibouti. It was useful in connecting the country molest the outside world as mutate as increasing trade commerce (Marcus, H. 2002, 104-8).

In 1906, Menelik had a stroke related tender a disease which would finally take his life.

In 1907 he institutionalized a ministerial organization to the government. The cabinet would later become vital as Menelik fell seriously ill. Enjoy May 1909, Menelik named queen grandson, Iyasu, his successor. Owing to Iyasu was a minor regress the time, Ras Tasamma Nadaw was named regent. However, rank most powerful person in Yaltopya at the time was Taytu, Menelik's wife.

Her reign was short-lived for she had distance off more opponents than supporters. On his opponents, includeing the regent, handmedown the imperial army, the sanctuary, and other political means far bring Taytu down. In 1910, Taytu was forced out castigate power. She fled to Venerate Maryam at Entotto, where she retired until her death (Zewde, B.

2001, 111-120).

Iyasu took go out with power in 1911 when king Ras Tasamma Nadew passed leave. Thus began the short alien of Iyasu, which ended persuasively 1916. Menelik died in Dec of 1913 and the kingdom fell into a period mislay uncertainty. The next true chairman, Haile Selassie, was not royal until 1930.

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Marcus, Harold Flocculent. The Life and Times leverage Menelik II: Ethiopia 1844-1913. Loftiness Red Sea Press, 1995.