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Menelik II

Emperor Menelik II GCB, GCMG, (Ge'ez ምኒልክ) baptized as Sahle Maryam (August 17, 1844 – December 12, 1913), was Negus of Shewa (1866-1889), then nəgusä nägäst of Ethiopia from 1889 to his death. The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George Prince Regent (later George Ge'ez (gez ግዕዝ) also called Ethiopic, is an Abugida script that was originally developed to write Ge'ez, a Semitic language Events 986 - A Byzantine army was destroyed in the pass of Trajan's Gate by the Bulgarians under the Comitopuli Year 1844 ( MDCCCXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common For other uses see Negus (disambiguation Negus ( Ge'ez gez ንጉሥ, Amharic; cf Shewa ( Ge'ez ሽዋ šawā, modern šewā also spelled Shoa) is a historical region of Ethiopia Year 1866 ( MDCCCLXVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1889 ( MDCCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Emperor ( Ge'ez: ንጉሠ ነገሥት nəgusä nägäst " King of Kings " of Ethiopia was the hereditary NOTE This intro is the result of careful NPOV work Please do not make potentially controversial edits to it without first discussing on the talk page

King of Shewa

The son of Negus Haile Melekot of Shewa, prince Sahle Maryam was born in Angolela, near Debir Brihan, Shewa. For other uses see Negus (disambiguation Negus ( Ge'ez gez ንጉሥ, Amharic; cf Haile Malakot (1824 &ndash 9 November 1855) was Negus of Shewa, a historical region of Ethiopia, from 12 October Shewa ( Ge'ez ሽዋ šawā, modern šewā also spelled Shoa) is a historical region of Ethiopia Upon the death of his father in 1855 he, just named as his successor as king of Shewa by his father, was taken prisoner by Emperor Tewodros II, a former minor noble originally named Kassa of Qwara, who had usurped the Imperial throne from the last Emperor of the elder Gondar branch of the Solomonic dynasty (either Emperor Yohannes III or Emperor Sahle Dengel; the historical record is uncertain here). Year 1855 ( MDCCCLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Tewodros II ( Ge'ez ቴዎድሮስ also known as Theodore II) (c Qwara (also spelled K'wara) was a province in Ethiopia, located between Lake Tana and the frontier with Sudan, and stretcing from Agawmeder The Solomonic dynasty is the traditional royal house of Ethiopia, claiming descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, who is said Emperor Yohannes III (c 1824 - c 1873) was the last of the elder "Gondar" line of the Solomonic dynasty to reign over Ethiopia. Sahle Dengel was {{IPA|nəgusä nägäst}} of Ethiopia intermittently between 1832 and 11 February 1855, towards the end of the Following Tewdoros' conquest of Shewa, young Sahle Maryam of Shewa was imprisoned on the Emperor's mountain stronghold of Magdala, but was treated well by the Emperor, even marrying Tewodros's daughter Alitash. Amba Mariam is a village in central Ethiopia. It was known as Magdala or Meqdela (መቅደላ meḳdelā) during the reign of Emperor

Upon Sahle Maryam's imprisonment, his uncle, Haile Mikael had been made ruler of Shewa by Emperor Tewodros II with the title of Meridazmach. However, Meridazmach Haile Mikael rebelled against Tewodros, resulting in his being replaced by the non-royal Ato Bezabeh as governor of Shewa. However, Ato Bezabeh promptly rebelled against the Emperor and proclaimed himself King of Shewa. Although the Shewan royals imprisoned at Magdala had been largely complacent as long as a member of their family ruled over Shewa, this usurpation by a commoner was not palatable to them. They plotted the escape of Sahle Maryam from Magdala; with the help of Queen Worqitu of Wollo, he escaped from Magdala the night of 1 July 1865, abandoning his wife, and returned to Shewa. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1865 ( MDCCCLXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Enraged, Emperor Tewodros slaughtered 29 Oromo hostages then had 12 Amhara notables beaten to death with bamboo rods. ^[1]

Bezabeh's attempt to raise an army against Sahle Maryam failed miserably; thousands of Shewans rallied to the flag of the son of Haile Melekot and even Bezabeh's own soldiers deserted him for the returning prince. Sahle Maryam entered Ankober and proclaimed himself Negus with the name of Menelik. Ankober (also called Gorobela) is a town in central While Menelik reclaimed his ancestral crown, he also made a claim on the Imperial throne, as a direct descendant male line of Emperor Lebna Dengel. Dawit II ( Ge'ez ዳዊት dāwīt) enthroned as Emperor Anbasa Segad ( Ge'ez አንበሳ ሰገድ anbassā sagad, Amh However, he made no overt attempt to assert this claim during this time; Marcus interprets his lack of decisive action not only to Menelik's lack of confidence and experience, but that "he was emotionally incapable of helping to destroy the man who had treated him as a son. "^[2] By failing to take part in the 1868 Expedition to Abyssinia, he allowed his rival Kassa to benefit with gifts of modern weapons and supplies from the British. The British 1868 Expedition to Abyssinia was a Punitive expedition carried out by Armed forces of the British Empire against the Ethiopian Empire Afterwards other challenges -- a revolt amongst the Wollo to the north, the intrigues of his next wife Baffana to replace him with her choice of ruler, military failures against the Arsi Oromo to the south east -- kept Menelik from directly confronting Kassa until after his rival had brought an Abuna from Egypt who crowned him Emperor Yohannes IV. Abun (in Europe erroneously known as Abuna, which is the status constructus form used when a name follows Ge'ez አቡነ ’abuna Emperor Yohannes IV ( Ge'ez ዮሓንስ Yōḥānnis, Amharic Yōhānnis, also known as "John" c Eventually Menelik acquiesced to Yohannes superior position, and on 20 March 1878 "approached Yohannes on foot, carrying a rock on his neck, his face down in the traditional form of submission. Events 1600 - The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden. Year 1878 ( MDCCCLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common "^[3] However, very aware of how precarious his own position was, Yohannes recognized Menelik as Negus of Shewa and gave him numerous presents which included four cannons, several hundred modern Remington rifles, and ammunition for both. ^[4]

In 1883, Negus Menelik married Taytu Betul, a noblewoman of Imperial blood, and a member of one of the leading families of the regions of Semien, Yejju in modern Wollo, and Begemder. Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Taytu Betul (c 1851 - February 11, 1918) was Empress of Ethiopia ( 1889 - 1913) Begemder (also Gondar or Gonder after its capital) was a province in the northwestern part of Ethiopia. Her paternal uncle Dejazmatch Wube Haile Maryam of Semien had been the ruler of Tigray and much of northern Ethiopia. She had been married four times previously and exercised considerable influence. Menelik and Taytu would have no children. Menelik had, previous to this marriage, sired not only Zauditu (eventually Empress of Ethiopia), but also another daughter, Shoaregga (who married Ras Mikael of Wollo), and a son, Prince Wossen Seged, who died in childhood. Zewditu (also spelled Zawditu or Zauditu; Ge'ez ዘውዲቱ April 29, 1876 - April 2, 1930) was This is a list of Ethiopian Aristocratic and Court Titles used in Ethiopia until the end of the Monarchy in 1974. In 1886 Menelik married Zauditu to Emperor Yohannes’s son, Ras Araya Selassie. Year 1886 ( MDCCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Ras Araya Selassie died in May 1888 without any issue by her, and the Emperor Yohannes was killed in a war against the dervishes at the Battle of Gallabat (Matemma) on May 10, 1889. Year 1888 ( MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Darvesh or Dervish ( Arabic and Persian: درویش) as it is known in European languages refers to members of Sufi The Battle of Gallabat (also called the Battle of Metemma) was fought 9 - 10 March 1889 between the Mahdist Sudanese and Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1889 ( MDCCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

The succession now lay between the late emperor’s natural son, Ras Mengesha, and Menelik of Shewa, but the latter was able to obtain the allegiance of a large majority of the nobility on November 4. Mengesha Yohannes (1868 - 1906 was the natural son of Emperor Yohannes IV of Ethiopia, Ras of Tigray, and as a claimant of the Imperial Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani Menelek was consecrated and crowned as Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia shortly afterwards. Menelek argued that while the family of Yohannes IV claimed descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba through females of the dynasty, his own claim was based on uninterrupted direct male lineage which made the claims of the House of Shewa equal to those of the elder Gondar line of the dynasty. King Solomon ( Ge'ez: ስለሞን Arabic: ar سليمان, Sulayman, all from the Triliteral root S-L-M, "peace" Sheba ( Hebrew: שבא, Sh'va, Arabic: سبأ Sabaʼ, Ge'ez, Amharic, Tigrinya: ሳባ Saba Gondar or Gonder ( Ge'ez: ጎንደር Gōnder, older ጐንደር Gʷandar, modern pronunciation Gʷender) is a city in

Menelik, and later his daughter Zauditu, would be the last Ethiopian monarchs who could claim uninterrupted direct male descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba (both Lij Iyasu and Emperor Haile Selassie were in the female line, Iyasu through his mother Shewarega Menelik, and Haile Selassie through his paternal grandmother, Tenagnework Sahle Selassie). Iyasu V ( Ge'ez ኢያሱ the Ethiopian version of Joshua) also known as Lij Iyasu ( Ge'ez ልጅ ኢያሱ 4 February 1895

His reign as emperor

Tapestry of the Battle of Adwa.

In 1889, while claiming the throne against Mengesha, Menelik signed at Wuchale in Wollo province (Uccialli in Italian) a treaty with Italy, acknowledging the establishment of the new Italian Colony of Eritrea with its seat at Asmara. Year 1889 ( MDCCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Wuchale (also spelled Uccialli) is a town in northern Treaty of Wuchale (or Treaty of Ucciale; in Italian Trattato di Uccialli) was a treaty signed by King Menelik II of Shewa, later the Emperor Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Eritrea () ( Ge'ez: ኤርትራ ʾErtrā, Arabic: إرتريا Iritriya) officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in Asmara (English ( Ge'ez: ኣስመራ Asmera, formerly known as Asmera, or in أسمرا Asmaraa This colony had previously been part of the northern Tigrayan territories from which Ras Mangasha and his allies such as Ras Alula generated support, and the establishment of the Italian colony weakened the northern Rases. Menelik had stated that Eritrea (Lands North of Merab Melash) did not belong to his Abysinnian(Ethiopian Empire) kingdom:

The territories north of the Merab Melash do not belong to nor are under my rule. I am the Emperor of Abysinnia. The lands referred to as Eritrea is not peopled by Abysinnians, they are Adals , Bejas, and Tigres. Abysinnia will defend her territories but it will not fight for foreign lands of which Eritrea is to my knowledge.

—Emperor Menelik II, 1889

However, it was soon found that the Italian version of one of the articles of the treaty placed the Ethiopian Empire under an Italian protectorate, while the Amharic version did not. Amharic (አማርኛ amarəñña) is a Semitic language spoken in North Central Ethiopia by the Amhara. Emperor Menelik denounced it and demanded that the Italian version be changed. Negotiations failed, so Menelik renounced the treaty, leading Italy to declare war and invade from Eritrea. After defeating the Italians at Amba Alagi and Mekele, Menelik inflicted an even greater defeat on them, at Adowa on March 1, 1896, forcing them to capitulate. Amba Alagi is a Mountain, or an amba, in northern Ethiopia. Located in the Debubawi Zone of the Tigray Region, Amba Alagi dominates Mekelle is a city and Woreda in northern Ethiopia The Battle of Adwa (also known as Adowa or sometimes by the Italian name Adua) was fought on 1 March, 1896 between Ethiopia Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1896 ( MDCCCXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year A treaty was signed at Addis Ababa recognizing the absolute sovereign independence of Ethiopia.

Menelik II's French sympathies were shown in a reported official offer of treasure towards payment of the indemnity at the close of the Franco-Prussian War, and in February 1897 he concluded a commercial treaty with France on very favourable terms. The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War ( 19 July, 1870 — 10 May, 1871 Year 1897 ( MDCCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. He also gave assistance to French officers who sought to reach the upper Nile from Ethiopia, there to join forces with the Marchand Mission; and Ethiopian armies were sent towards the Nile, but withdrew when the Fashoda Crisis between France and the United Kingdom cooled off. The Nile (النيل, Ancient Egyptian iteru or Ḥ'pī, Coptic piaro or phiaro) is a major north-flowing River The Marchand Mission was an expedition undertaken by French emissary Jean-Baptiste Marchand (1863-1934 and 150 men with designs to counter British expansionism in northeastern The Fashoda Incident (1898 was the climax of imperial territorial disputes between the United Kingdom and France in Eastern Africa. A British mission under Sir Rennell Rodd in May 1897, however, was cordially received, and Menelik agreed to a settlement of the Somali boundaries, to keep open to British commerce the caravan route between Zaila and Harrar, and to prevent the transit of munitions of war to the Mahdists, whom he proclaimed enemies of Ethiopia. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located James Rennell Rodd 1st Baron Rennell, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, PC ( 9 November 1858 &ndash 26 July 1941) Somalia ( Soomaaliya; الصومال) officially the Somali Republic ( Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya, جمهورية الصومال) and formerly known Zeila ( Saylac) is a port city on the Gulf of Aden coast and is located in the Awdal region of Somalia near the Djibouti border Harar (var Harrar, Hārer, Harer; Adari) is an eastern city in Ethiopia, and the capital of the modern Harari Muhammad Ahmad ibn as Sayyid Abd Allah (otherwise known as The Mahdi or Muhammad Ahmed Al Mahdi Arabic:محمد أحمد المهدي ( August

In the following year the Sudan was reconquered by an Anglo-Egyptian army and thereafter cordial relations between Menelik and the British authorities were established. Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. In 1889 and subsequent years, Menelik sent forces to co-operate with the British troops engaged against a Somali leader, Sayyid Mohammed Abdullah Hassan. Sayyīd Muhammad `Abd Allāh al-Hasan ( Sayid Maxamed Cabdille Xasan or Sayyid Mahammad Abdille Hasan, محمّد

Menelik had in 1898 crushed a rebellion by Ras Mangasha (who died in 1906). Year 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1906 ( MCMVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting He directed his efforts thenceforth to the consolidation of his authority, and in a certain degree, to the opening up of his country to western civilization. Menelik’s clemency to Ras Mangasha, whom he compelled to submit and then made hereditary Prince of his native Tigray, was ill repaid by a long series of revolts by that prince. Menelek focused much of his energy on development and modernization of his country after this threat to his throne was firmly ended. He had granted in 1894 a concession for the building of a railway to his capital from the French port of Djibouti, but, alarmed by a claim made by France in 1902 to the control of the line in Ethiopian territory, he stopped for four years the extension of the railway beyond Dire Dawa. Year 1894 ( MDCCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Imperial Railway Company of Ethiopia (often referred to by its French name Compagnie Impériale des Chemins de Fer Éthiopiens) was a semi-private firm founded The city of Djibouti (جيبوتي Somali: Jabuuti, Ville de Djibouti is the capital and largest city of Year 1902 ( MCMII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Dire Dawa is one of two chartered cities ( astedader akabibi) in Ethiopia (the other being the capital Addis Ababa) When in 1906 France, the United Kingdom and Italy came to an agreement on the subject, granting control to a joint venture corporation, Menelek officially reiterated his full sovereign rights over the whole of his empire.

In May 1909 the emperor’s grandson Lij Iyasu (later Iyasu V) by his late daughter Shoaregga, then a lad of thirteen, was married to Romanework Mengesha, granddaughter of the Emperor Yohannes IV by his natural son Ras Mengesha, and was also the niece of Empress Taytu. Year 1909 ( MCMIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Iyasu V ( Ge'ez ኢያሱ the Ethiopian version of Joshua) also known as Lij Iyasu ( Ge'ez ልጅ ኢያሱ 4 February 1895 Two days later Iyasu was publicly proclaimed at Addis Ababa as Menelik’s successor. Addis Ababa (sometimes spelled Addis Abeba, the spelling used by the official Ethiopian Mapping Authority Amharic At that time the emperor was seriously ill and as his ill-health continued, a council of regency — from which the empress was excluded — was formed in March 1910. Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Lij Iyasu's marriage to Romanework Mengesha was dissolved, and he married Seble Wongel Hailu, daughter of Ras Hailu, and granddaughter of Negus Tekle Haymanot of Gojjam. On December 12, 1913 Emperor Menelek II died of a stroke and was buried secretly at the Se'el Bet Kidane Meheret Church on the grounds of the Imperial Palace. Official news of his death was kept from the public for several years by order of Lij Iyasu, although it was soon widely known. Following the deposition of Lij Iyasu in 1916, and the crowning of Menelik's daughter Zauditu as Empress of Ethiopia, Menelik II was reburied in the specially built church at Ba'eta Le Mariam Monastery of Addis Ababa. Addis Ababa (sometimes spelled Addis Abeba, the spelling used by the official Ethiopian Mapping Authority Amharic

Developments during Menelik's reign

Menelik II was fascinated by modernity, and like Tewodros II before him, had a keen ambition to introduce Western technological and administrative advances into Ethiopia. Tewodros II ( Ge'ez ቴዎድሮስ also known as Theodore II) (c Following the rush by the major powers to establish diplomatic relations following the Ethiopian victory at Adowa, more and more westerners began to travel to Ethiopia looking for trade, farming, hunting and mineral exploration concessions. Menelik II founded the first modern bank in Ethiopia, the Bank of Abyssinia, introduced the first modern postal system, signed the agreement and initiated work that established the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway with the French, introduced electricity to Addis Ababa, as well as the telephone, telegraph, the motor car and modern plumbing. He attempted unsuccessfully to introduce coinage to replace the Maria Theresa thaler. The Maria Theresa thaler (MTT is a Silver Bullion[[bullion coin|-]] Coin that has been used in world trade continuously since it was first minted as

During the 1890s, Menelik heard about the modern method of executing criminals using electric chairs, and he ordered 3 for his kingdom. Execution by electrocution (usually referred to after its method of implementation as the Electric Chair) is an execution method originating in the United States in which the When the chairs arrived, Menelik learnt they would not work, as Ethiopia did not yet have an electrical power industry. Rather than waste his investment, Menelik used one of the chairs as his throne, sending another to Lique Mequas Abate. ^[5] During a particularly devastating famine caused by Rinderpest early in his reign, Menelik II personally went out with a hand-held hoe to furrow the fields to show that there was no shame in plowing fields by hand without oxen, something Ethiopian highlanders had been too proud to consider previously. Rinderpest is an infectious viral Disease of Cattle, domestic buffalo, and some Species of Wildlife. He also forgave taxes during this particularly severe famine.

Later in his reign, he established the first Cabinet of Ministers to help in the administration of the Empire, appointing trusted and widely respected nobles and retainers to the first Ministries. These ministers would remain in place long after his death, serving in their posts through the brief reign of Lij Iyasu and into the reign of Empress Zauditu. They played a key role in deposing Lij Iyasu.

Family

Rumoured natural children of the Emperor include Ras Birru Wolde Gabriel and Dejazmach Kebede Tessema. The latter, in turn, was possibly the natural grandfather of Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam, the communist leader of the Derg, who eventually deposed the monarchy and assumed power in Ethiopia from 1974 to 1991. Mengistu Haile Mariam (መንግስቱ ኃይለ ማርያም məngɨstu hi lə maryam (born 1937 a repression campaign against the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party and The Derg or Dergue was a communist military junta that came to power in Ethiopia following the ousting of Haile Selassie I. However, the only children that Menelek II acknowledged publicly were Zauditu, Shoaregga and Wossen Seged. Of these three, only Shoaregga has present day descendants.

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone

Bibliography

• Henze, Paul B. (2000). Layers of Time, A History of Ethiopia. New York: Palgrave. ISBN 0-312-22719-1.  
• David Levering Lewis. "Pawns of Pawns" in The Race to Fashoda. New York: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1987. ISBN 1-55584-058-2
• Chris Prouty. Empress Taytu and Menilek II: Ethiopia 1883-1910. Trenton: The Red Sea Press, 1986. ISBN 0-932415-11-3

External links

• Imperial Ethiopia Homepages - Emperor Menelik II the Early Years
• Imperial Ethiopia Homepages - Emperor Menelik II the Later Years
• Ethiopian Treasures - Emperor Menelik II