King Tewodros II
Formerly know as Kassa Hailu, aquired power by fight the princes and ladn lord of Zemene mesafent. He was so modern thinker, he tried to introduce technologies to the people, have well trained army, but the people didnot except him and the orthodox church oppsed him. At this moment he prisoned some Britian citizens because the Britian government wasnot answering his requests and the Queen of England sent soliders to free the prisoners. He then commited sucide while the soldiers led by opposition suporter were on their way. He is the best, great king of Ethiopia of all times.
King Yohaness IV
He took power after a fierece fight bettween the successors of Teowdros. He was also a modernizer but he learned from Tewodros's mistake, he approached the people with ideas they like.He was very strong and formed a council of ministers which talk about religions. He died while fighting the Sudan nationalist.
King Menilik II and the Adwa Victory
He was very celebrated king in Ethiopian history because of his clever thinking, intelligence… He took power after the death of King Yohannes IV which he waited for 25 years starting from reign of Tewodros. He has learned many things from his ancestors’ mistakes so he tried not to repeat those mistakes and he stood up to unite his country and expand in all directions. He formed diplomatic relationships with many foreign countries, one of them was Italy. It was in his time many foreign people live in his palace which were sent to advice him from all over the world. He is also named good diplomat because he knows how to deal with countries who are friend and enemy.
Cause of the war and the Adwa victory
He sold the port land (present day Eritrea) to Italian company at the reign of Yohannes while he was bandit; following this relation Italians started to implement their ambitions of controlling the whole of Ethiopia at his reign. They sent their foreign ambassador Perrio Antoleni to make a deal with Melilik about their relation; So Antoleni used this opportunity to make treaty with Ethiopia to help Italy achieve its dreams of colonialism. Menilik not knowing this he signed agreement called “Wuchale treaty” with Italian governmet. But after sometime Italian government proclaimed protectorate of Ethiopia based on the treaty. Menilik confused by what the Italians said he told most countries that his country is sovereign state. At the treaty there seem to be change of meaning in Italian version and Amharic version. The Italian version says “Ethiopia must make all contact with other countries through Italy” and the Amharic version says “Ethiopia can make any contact with other countries through Italy”. Menelik understanding what Antoleni did he told the Italian government to correct the Italian version or he will drop the whole treaty. When the Italian government refused he dropped the whole treaty which leads the Italy to invade Ethiopia. Menelik making his historical speech to his people and took his army to Adwa city, North of Ethiopia. After a heavy fighting with the Italian soldiers lead by General Barrateries, he defeated the Italians and send them back to their port land (Eritrea). In this war many people died in both sides but this war made Ethiopia not to be colonized and most of all it changed the ideology “No one can defeat white people”. This victory was a nation wide pride for Africans and Asians who were being tortured by colonization. Because of Menilik’s war intelligence and his people’s strength he librated his country and forever his name will be remembered.
After the war
After the war he immediately started to implement his former dreams and started to bring technologies like telephone, railway, postal service, automobile, modern schools… He provided many things to his people and they have loved him so much. After sometime he was sick so he formed council of ministers for the first time and he entitled his grandson Lij Iyasu heir of the throne to avoid wars to be king and then he died suffering from stroke.
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