Ethiopian History and Empire

Vocabulary flashcards covering the origins, imperial dynasties, regional conflicts, modernization, and anti-colonial resistance of Ethiopia.

Awash Valley

The geographic region in Ethiopia where human ancestor remains dated to some five million years old and the skeleton of "Lucy" were discovered.

Lucy

A 3.2 million year old human ancestor skeleton unearthed in Ethiopia's Awash Valley in 1974.

Axum

An ancient historical city in northern Ethiopia's Tigray province containing extensive historical sites, remains of the Queen of Sheba's palace, and the home of the Ark of the Covenant.

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

The unique form of Christianity in Ethiopia followed by almost two-thirds of the country, established in the fourth century and isolated from European Christianity following the expulsion of Portuguese foreign missionaries in the 1630s.

Ge'ez

An ancient Ethiopian script, also known as Ethiopic, which is recognized as one of the oldest alphabets still in use in the world.

Ethiopian Calendar

A calendar system that is approximately seven years and three months behind the Gregorian calendar.

Kefa

One of the 14 provinces in the old Ethiopian administration recognized as the place of origin for the coffee bean.

Dallol

A settlement located in northern Ethiopia recognized as the world's hottest settlement.

Ethiopian Highlands

Africa's largest continuous mountain ranges, located in Ethiopia.

Sof Omar Caves

A cave system in Ethiopia that contains Africa's largest cave.

Menelik I

The legendary founder of the Ethiopian Empire and the Solomonic Dynasty, reputed to be the son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon.

Zagwe Dynasty

The Ethiopian ruling dynasty founded in 1137 by Emperor Mararah that governed until being overthrown on 10 August 1270.

Yekuno Amlak

The Ethiopian ruler who overthrew the last Zagwe monarch on 10 August 1270 and restored the Solomonic Dynasty to power.

Era of Princes

A period lasting roughly 100 years beginning in the 1700s characterized by internal turmoil, competing local rulers, an absence of central power, and emperors controlling only the area around Gondar.

Emperor Tewodros II

The Ethiopian emperor who came to power in 1855, introduced administrative districts under a central government, instituted a tax code, established a standing army, and lost church support after taxing church lands.

Emperor Yohannes IV

The Ethiopian emperor who seized power in 1871, defeated Egyptian and Mahdist invasions, and died after being mortally wounded at the Battle of Gallabat in 1889.

Ismail Pasha

The ruler of Ottoman-controlled Egypt who invaded Ethiopia in the Ethiopian-Egyptian War seeking to expand Ottoman territory southward.

Battle of Gundet

A battle fought on 16 September 1875 where Ethiopian forces annihilated invading Egyptian troops.

Battle of Gura

A battle fought in March 1876 in which Ethiopian forces soundly defeated a second, outnumbered Egyptian invasion force.

Muhammad Ahmad bin Abd Allah

The leader of an Islamic revolution in Sudan who proclaimed himself the "Mahdi" ("the Guided One") and overthrew the Ottoman-backed Egyptian government.

Massawa

A vital port city in modern-day Eritrea occupied by Italy in 1885, dashing Ethiopian hopes of acquiring it.

Battle of Kufit

A military engagement on 23 September 1885 where Ethiopian forces achieved victory over an invading Mahdist army.

Battle of Gallabat

An 1889 battle against Mahdist forces where Emperor Yohannes IV was winning before being mortally wounded behind enemy lines, causing an Ethiopian defeat.

Emperor Menelik II

The Ethiopian emperor who reigned from 1889 to 1913, centralized imperial power, established Addis Ababa, expanded Ethiopia's borders by 1904, and defeated Italian forces at Adwa.

Addis Ababa

The new permanent capital of Ethiopia established under the reign of Emperor Menelik II.

Treaty of Wuchale

An 1889 treaty between Ethiopia and Italy establishing a border with Italian Eritrea in exchange for free passage for Ethiopian merchants.

Article 17

The controversial clause in the Italian version of the Treaty of Wuchale that subordinated Ethiopia's allegiance to Italy, prompting Menelik II to reject the treaty.

Rinderpest

A viral cattle disease believed to have been introduced by the Italians that caused a famine killing $90\%$ of Ethiopia's cattle.

Battle of Adwa

An 1896 battle in which Ethiopia defeated Italy, marking the first victory of an African nation over a European power and concluding the First Italo-Ethiopian War.

Treaty of Addis Ababa

The peace treaty concluding the First Italo-Ethiopian War in which Italy was forced to recognize the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea and recognize Ethiopia as an independent nation.

Lij Iyassu

The Ethiopian ruler deposed in 1916 by Christian nobility and Ras Tafari Makonnen following accusations of converting to Islam and favoring the Central Powers during World War I.

Empress Zewditu

The daughter of Menelik II who was named Empress in 1916, maintained neutrality during World War I, and oversaw Ethiopia joining the League of Nations in 1923.

Haile Selassie

The imperial name assumed by Ras Tafari Makonnen upon his coronation on 2 November 1930, who abolished slavery, introduced the 1931 constitution, and returned from exile to regain power in 1941.

Christmas Offensive

A successful military offensive launched by Ethiopian forces in 1935 that temporarily pushed back invading Italian troops during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.