Short History: Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia

Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia was born in the kingdom of Shewa in central Ethiopia and eventually became King Menelik of that region.

Before long, though, then-emperor Tewodros II conquered Shewa and imprisoned Menelik in his mountain stronghold at Magdala.With the help of some close allies, however, King Menelik engineered a daring escape from Magdala on the night of July 1, 1865 and returned to Shewa, where he defeated a usurper and recovered his kingship.

After Tewodros II’s successor Yohannes died at the Battle of Gallabat, King Menelik claimed legitimacy for his bloodline and vied against Yohannes’ son for the empire.

King Menelik successfully ousted Yohannes’ son after gaining the support of the majority of the Ethiopian nobility and became emperor.He immediately received a baptism of fire, though, when Italy invaded Ethiopia after a treaty dispute.

But in this crisis lay opportunity, and after pulling through it and routing the Italians at Adwa with the help of Ras Alula, Emperor Menelik and Ethiopia enjoyed a new era of prosperity and power.

Emperor Menelik developed strong diplomatic ties with other countries, especially Russia, greatly expanded and solidified his empire, and turned Ethiopia into a modern nation.

He moved the capital to Addis Ababa in his home region of Shewa.He brought hospitals, telephones, electricity, modern education, and railway system, and many other political, economic, and technological improvements to Ethiopia for the first time during his years at the helm.